


While You Were Sleeping

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Anne and Richard: Inspired by Fairy Tales [2]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2018-01-03 12:41:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 34,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the Battle of Tewkesbury, Lady Anne Neville fell from horse and hit her head, which put her in a deep sleep. While she was sleeping, the York brothers fought over her for the Neville fortune. In the midst of that, Anne woke up but lost all her memories…</p><p>Inspired by "Sleeping Beauty" - not the Disney's version.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is another AU but using the TWQ's setting. 
> 
> Note to self, I am not a historian and I am not good at writing historical fiction. So be kind if there is any anachronism.
> 
> See I'm braver than PG in admitting this. 
> 
> And as I mentioned before, this fic is inspired by "Sleeping Beauty", but not the Disney's version.

_Tewkesbury, 1471_

The night was cold, beyond anyone’s expectation. It was only May, but it was colder than winter.

Lady Anne Neville, Princess of Wales, shivered under her blanket. She slept alone, for which she was thankful. Marriage for a woman of her status was nothing different than a political agreement. She was merely a pawn of her father’s scheme. A bartered good sold to the House of Lancaster.

Her father, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the renowned Kingmaker, remained a puppet-master who pulled her strings even after death. Anne shut her eyes and remembered her wedding day.

There was no grand festival.

Her father had her dressed in gold and handed her over to Prince Edward of Lancaster to seal the new alliance between him and Queen Margaret.

Her happiness mattered a little.

So what that her new husband forced himself upon her on their wedding night?

“Close your eyes and think of England,” her mother, Countess of Warwick told her.

That she did.

Edward of Lancaster stripped down from head to toe and climbed onto the bed. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her legs apart. Then he took her virginity.

It was a nightmare.

And it hurt.

He only bedded her a few times; there was no baby, to her parent’s disappointment.

Her bareness was not her parent’s only disappointment.

Soon after she married to Edward of Lancaster, her brother-in-law, George switched alliance again and rejoined his brother Edward IV. Her sister Isabel went with him. Losing George and Isabel meant losing half of his army, the Earl of Warwick knew he was at the end of his game.

Before he departed for battle, he found Anne stood before him.

“Anne…” Before he was about to say something, Anne stopped him.

“Father, don’t,” Anne turned away from him. “You rebelled against King Edward; you forced us into exile, away from England. My sister Isabel lost her son on that ship. Then you sold me, you _sold_ me, to that monster. What is going to happen to me if you were to lose?”

“You will not speak as such!” Earl of Warwick stared at her angrily.

“I speak to you as Princess of Wales, Earl of Warwick,” Anne stood her ground. “You will not win this battle. I will not see you after I leave. You fought for the wrong cause, and you will pay for it.”

“Treason!” Earl of Warwick slapped her across the face.

Anne rubbed her redden cheek but refused to back down in fear. “When I was a child, Richard the Duke of Gloucester tortured me. He bullied me, kicked me, and pushed me. And you allowed it because you wanted so much that betrothal between Richard and I to happen. But it didn’t because you underestimated King Edward. Now you married me to Edward of Lancaster. Like it or not, he is my husband and will forever make you a traitor to the Yorkists. If you win, he will be King and I will be Queen. I will not make your life easy. If you lose, then we lost everything. But I will live in a decent life because I am young and a woman. A decent life—that you will never have!”

Anne turned her heel and walked away with her head held high.

She vowed to never see her father again.

And she didn’t.

He was killed in the Battle of Barnet. Some said that he slain his own horse so that he die with his soldiers. Others said that he was killed by an arrow that penetrated his head.

Whatever the truth, he was dead.

After her father’s death, Margaret of Anjou ordered Prince Edward to never bed Anne again. Her intention was obvious; once she won her cause, she would have Edward divorce her.

She would never be Queen of England.

As Anne tossed and turned, the door of her chamber opened. Prince Edward came to see her. Reaching under her blanket, Anne pulled out a dagger. She could’ve cared less now for she knew that they would not win against the Yorks.

“Stay away,” she said, clutching her teeth.

“Anne, I…” Edward of Lancaster stuttered. “I have come to see you, before heading to the battlefield.”

“Why? To bed me for the last time? You will not get close to me or I will kill you!” Anne pointed the dagger at him.

Edward of Lancaster was silent. After a while he said, “You are brave, Anne. Braver than I. If I do die in the battlefield, do not mourn for me. Live on.”

“I will not mourn for you,” Anne said to him bitterly. “You are not worth it. Now go!”

Edward stared at her for a moment. Wordlessly, he turned a left.

Anne jumped out of the bed and bolted the door. He would not come again. Knowing her chances, now was not the time to allow him to get her with child.

***

Edward of Lancaster departed for the battlefield. In his armor, he knelt before his mother for her blessing. Margaret of Anjou held her son tearfully. She was against the idea of him fighting in the battle. Unlike the York brothers, Edward of Lancaster was never trained as a soldier. He was about to throw himself in the field like a fresh meat. But Edward of Lancaster insisted that it was his duty.

Anne looked at the ground, refusing to look at him one last time.

She heard the clashing of his footsteps. One by one.

Until they completely vanished.

She was now alone with Margaret of Anjou.

When she first met her, Anne was intimidated by Margaret, whom her father taught her as the “Bad Queen”. Before Margaret, Anne hardly spoke. If she did, she feared to speak up. But now, she was different. The fall of Lancaster was inevitable. She did not have to fear Margaret anymore.

She heard that her mother Countess of Warwick went to hiding in a sanctuary. Maybe she could join her.

Margaret could not control her anymore.

“You have something to say?” Margaret suddenly asked.

“No,” Anne said with confidence. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“My ladies told me that my son went to your chambers before dawn,” she said nonchalantly.

“He did,” Anne did not deny. “And I told him that I will kill him if he dares to make one step closer to me.”

Margaret’s eyes widened.

“You have nothing to worry about,” Anne continued. “If we win, you can be Queen of England. You can have Edward divorce me, which is a favor that I cannot ask for more. If you lose, then you are a prisoner; I may be a prisoner too, but I am after all sister-in-law to King Edward. He will show me mercy.”

“What are you?” Margaret asked, as if she was speaking to a stranger.

Anne did not reply.

***

Just as Anne prophesized, the battle was not in favor of Lancaster. Maybe God was turning his back against Henry IV.

Hearing the news of the losing battle, Margaret quickly ordered her ladies to prepare for departure. Anne followed carelessly.

Before they could depart, arrows fell from the sky. The York army had caught up to them.

The soldiers surrounded them. Like bloodthirsty monsters, they spared no one, including the nuns. Anne was already on her horse; seeing the enemies approached, she turned her horse to escape. But the soldiers were quicker.

These soldiers—these men—were hungry for blood and sex. Frightened, Anne’s horse lost control and tried to flee the scene. Never a well-trained equestrian, Anne lost her grip and was thrown from her saddle. Her head landed on the grasses.

She lost conscious instantly.

The soldiers surrounded her and began to tear her dress, until they were dragged away after a sound of whistle. With their hands bounded behind, her assailants struggled as an armed man with dark curls walked towards her. Brushing her hair aside, he studied her face.

“Lady Anne,” he muttered. He took her pulse and found that she was still alive.

Pulling out his sword, he killed a few of her assailants. “By the order of the King, you are not to rape or harm any woman,” he declared to the soldiers. He then ordered his guards to carry Anne away.

He walked towards Margaret of Anjou and told her, “Your son is dead. You have lost. You are now our prisoner.”

“You are a good soldier,” Margaret cried after him. “Why don’t you fight for me? I can make you King.”

He turned to face her and laughed. “I, Richard Duke of Gloucester, live by my motto, _Loyaulte Me Lie_. Do not waste your time.”

With that said, he turned away.

“Where are you taking her?” Margaret shouted after him. “She’s my daughter-in-law and she shall stay by my side, dead or alive.”

“She’s my brother’s sister-in-law,” Richard answered her. “My brother the King ordered me to take her to him.”

He turned away again and never looked back. Margaret of Anjou fell to the ground in defeat.


	2. Chapter 2

Edward IV, King of England, was now the final victor.

The Lancastrian “mad” king Henry IV was led back to the Tower. The old man hardly noticed his new surroundings; all he cared for was that bronze cross that he held close to his heart. His wife, Margaret of Anjou, was taken back to London. Along the way, she was placed in a cart as people threw things at her, shouting cursed words. Alas, hundred years ago Queen Cleopatra of Egypt had herself bitten by an asp to avoid this. But Margaret couldn’t; to kill oneself was the worst sin to commit against church and God.

She too was brought to the Tower.

But not to be near to her husband.

She was all alone. Her son was dead. Her husband remained mad and out of touch, and now out of sight.

Did she even know when he died?

Soon after he was placed in the Tower, Henry IV Lancaster had a visitor.

“E…Edward…?” The mad king muttered.

“No, not Edward,” the young man before him muttered. His eyes were cold as ice.

He nodded at the two guards and then turned to leave. He did not look back as one guard held the old king down and the other one placed a pillow over his face. Like all humans, mad or sane, Henry would struggle for life. But the guards were stronger. Soon, his feet stopped kicking and he stopped whimpering.

The last Lancastrian King was now dead, joining his son Edward.

No one could challenge Edward IV now.

Or at least not anytime soon.

***

The mad king was now dead.

His queen was now imprisoned.

Their only son Edward of Lancaster was slain in the battle.

Now the only one left was the Sleeping Princess.

Edward IV wanted to laugh every time these two words came across his mind.

When Richard returned to him to celebrate their victory, he informed Edward that he found Lady Anne Neville, unconscious. She was thrown from her horse, he said. She was now in deep sleep. Soon after their brotherly reunion, the Scots were causing trouble in the North. King Edward must rely on his trustworthy youngest brother once more. Before he departed, Richard made a request that shocked Edward.

“I like you to give me your blessing for marrying Lady Anne Neville,” he said.

At the time, Edward thought Richard might have drank too much; but then remembered that they were not even drinking.

“Lady Anne Neville, the Sleeping Princess?” Edward was rather amused. “Richard, my dear brother, you know I cannot deny you anything reasonable. In terms of marriage, Princess Mary of Burgundy is still available. Such a marriage can bring you wealth and strong alliance.”

“I want Lady Anne Neville,” Richard repeated his request.

“Richard, if you insist, then I will not object,” Edward tried to keep a straight face. “But how are you going to marry her? The physicians have informed me that she is in her deep sleep, living but not alive. If she ever gains her consciousness, we do not know how long she’d live. If she stays in her deep sleep, let’s say hundreds of years, how is she going to marry you? She cannot speak or move.”

“She does not need to—“

“Richard, understand,” Edward stopped him. “You are Duke of Gloucester; we just recently won our victory of the Lancaster. I cannot allow a scandal this soon after I regain my throne.”

Richard spoke no more; he kept looking down at his hands. But his eyes showed his stubbornness.

“What are your true intentions, Richard?”

“You have made me the Lord of North, Your Grace,” Richard replied in a very formal tone. “North is very loyal to Warwick. In order to govern the North, I need their support.”

“Well thought,” Edward nodded. “But if I allow you to marry Lady Anne Neville at her current state, wouldn’t the North see this as an act of humiliation and duress? They’d say that you forced her and that will be an act of disgrace to Earl of Warwick, who was also your cousin and mentor.”

Richard was silent once again.

Edward then said, “If you still insist on marrying Lady Anne Neville, then I will agree only if she consents.”

That meant if she wakes.

***

“Lady Anne Neville shall remain as my ward,” George insisted before Duchess Cecily and King Edward. Queen Elizabeth sat beside him, watching him with her icy eyes. “My wife will provide the care she needs.”

“And she shall,” Edward said with a grin. “But for how long?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Edward stood. “The Neville fortune, as we all know, by the clause passed by the parliament, is to be divided between the Neville heiresses. Your wife is not the sole heiress for Lady Anne Neville lives. In her condition, however, she cannot live unless proper care provided. George, I need your word that Lady Anne Neville will not die due to your neglect.”

“What are you accusing me?” George’s anger flashed in his eyes.

“You know that Dickon has asked for her hand.”

Duchess Cecily and Queen Elizabeth were both surprised; George was too. “Dickon wants to wed her? How?”

“I have given him my consent before he departed for Scots border,” Edward said while studied the reactions from George and Duchess Cecily. “He can marry her, only if Lady Anne consents.”

George laughed at that. “How is she going to consent? Unless she wakes…”

He stopped there. Suddenly, he realized what Edward was getting at.

“You have my word, brother,” George said coldly. “Lady Anne Neville will not die in my hands. I entrust her care to my wife, her own sister. I cannot promise that she wakes soon, but she will live.”

He turned to leave, without a bow.

“What is Duke of Gloucester scheming?” Queen Elizabeth asked Edward. “Marrying a girl in deep sleep?”

“Dickon has his own mind,” Edward muttered. “He’s not like George.”

“I trust that you are not planning any vengeance against Lady Anne Neville?” Duchess Cecily mentioned carelessly.

“No,” Queen Elizabeth murmured. “I pity the girl.”

***

In a dark chamber, Anne lied in bed with her sister Isabel sat by her side. Taking the wash cloth from her maid, Isabel wiped her face and hands. She nodded to another lady, who came forward with soup and fed Anne. Isabel studied her sister’s face, she couldn’t help but pity her sister. When their father Earl of Warwick married her to Edward of Lancaster, Isabel was extremely jealous of Anne. After all, it was Isabel who supposed to be the next Queen of England in their father’s plan. However, after gave birth to a stillborn child on that ship, it was all over. Anne became Princess of Wales while she was only Duchess of Clarence. If Lancaster won, then Anne would be the Queen of England.

But now, Isabel was silently grateful for her better fate and luck. Her husband was forgiven and she remained a royal duchess and an heiress. Anne, on the other hand, was a widow of the enemy, daughter of a traitor. Perhaps she was better off in her deep sleep.

She looked so peaceful.

How long would she remain like this?

The physicians left it to the will of God.

Isabel’s thoughts were interrupted by George’s entrance.

“Out!” He ordered the maids.

After they left, George stared at Isabel. “Come, wife.”

“Husband, my sister—“

“We will talk.”

He dragged Isabel out of the chamber. Anne was left alone.

***

The morning came.

As usual, Isabel came to Anne’s chamber to take care of her. She wasn’t happy hearing what George told her the night before.

Richard was going to take Anne away after he returns from the North. He would use her to steal the other half of Neville fortune.

Isabel never liked Richard; her memories were still fresh from her childhood days at Middleham. She clearly remembered how Richard bullied Anne, giving her bruises.

She would not let it happen.

Once she entered the chamber, she was shocked.

Anne was gone.

Quickly, she ran to find George.

“George, where is Anne? Where is my sister? Had Richard—“

George abruptly quieted her. “Don’t say a word.”

“Husband, I don’t understand. Where did you place her?”

“Anne is still under our care,” George whispered. “I promised you that I will do her no harm, nor I will allow Gloucester to lay his hand on her. Trust me, wife, that this is the best for her.”

“Where is she?”

“Does it matter? Like she’d know the difference, like that mad king Henry.”

 Isabel stood wordlessly before her husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter.
> 
> I this fic, Richard and Anne did grew up together at Middleham, but he was more a bully towards her. The reason behind that will eventually revealed in later chapters.


	3. Chapter 3

Victoriously, Richard rode his stallion on his way back to London. King Edward was not mistaken in trusting him—Richard never let his older brother down. However, in his mind, Richard was thinking of something else.

Someone else.

Lady Anne Neville, the Sleeping Princess.

The night before they reached London, Richard could not sleep. Instead, he paced back and forth to the point that Francis Lovell and Rob Percy were amused.

“What is on your mind, Dickon?” Francis asked.

Rob laughed, “He is driven mad, by love.”

Richard halted.

“He is not,” Francis argued. “Dickon is the last man to fall in love.”

Richard glared at them.

“Dickon is besotted by the Sleeping Princess,” Rob Blackenbury commented as he joined them. “He missed his opportunity playing the knight who rescued the lady. Lady Anne was on a horse when enemies approached. By the time Dickon arrived, the horse threw her off and she was in a deep sleep since then. Dickon asked for her hand—“

“Enough!” Richard rebuked.

“Dickon, you are not serious!” Francis couldn’t be more surprised. “You never liked Lady Anne. Back in Middleham, you showered her nothing but despise. Even if that changes now, how are you going to marry her? And what are you going to do with a woman forever in her deep sleep?”

Rob Blackenbury spoke, “I have heard that Lady Anne is now under the care of Duchess of Clarence, but—“

He stopped there and studied Richard’s reaction.

“But what?” Richard asked patiently.

“But she has disappeared.”

Francis and Rob Percy were silent. Obviously, Richard had his spies and knew where to place them.

“Your first love, isn’t she serving Duchess of Clarence?” Rob Percy suggested. “Her name is Grace, if I can recall correctly.”

“After all these times on the saddles, I think you can use her for your pleasure and for your _other_ needs,” Francis teased.

***

“What you mean that I cannot see her?” Richard questioned George. “She is my betrothed; I have to right to see her.”

“Betrothed, since when?” George snarled. “Your only betrothal to Lady Anne was only suggested before she was married of to Edward of Lancaster. Now you can only marry her if I consent.”

“She does not need your consent,” Richard said under his breath.

“She is my ward,” George insisted. “She probably would not need me as her guardian had you reached her before the horse thrown her off!”

King Edward watched as his two brothers bickered back and forth like two dogs fighting over for a bone.

“How fares Lady Anne?” he asked George.

“Still in her sleep; my wife attends to her needs,” George answered.

“Really?” Richard raised an eyebrow. “It is would not be a coincidence if she dies in your care and that you’d claim all the Neville fortune for yourself?”

George looked at him hatefully. “My oh my, I am surprised that you care for her so much. Back in Middleham, you treated Lady Anne the worst. I remember how she cried and sobbed from your beatings and bullying. I am very confident that once she wakes, you’d be the first person she’s happy to see.”

“Richard, is it true?” King Edward asked curiously. “You bullied Lady Anne when you trained with Warwick?”

After a rather awkward hesitation, Richard replied, “I may have pushed her or chased her and she may have tripped on her dress and fell.”

Edward laughed after hearing that.

“Lady Anne Neville has disappeared,” Richard said. “She is not under the care of Lady Isabel as George claims.”

Edward stopped laughing.

“You lie!” George spat. “She is under my care, only that you will never find her!” He turned to Edward and explained, “Lady Anne Neville still has unpleasant memories of Richard. My wife certainly does not want Richard to be anywhere near her.”

After a moment, King Edward spoke. “George, I trust that Lady Anne is safe in your hands. Keep in mind, I have pardoned her and she is the rightful heiress to the Beauchamp estate as her sister. If she dies under unusual circumstances, you will answer before the parliament.”

George left without a word.

Once George was out of sight, Edward turned to Richard. “So tell me, little brother, what was your story with Lady Anne?”

Richard refused to say.

Edward lowered his voice. “Lady Mother is not here; Warwick is dead. You can tell me the truth.”

Turning away from Edward, Richard muttered, “When we were children, Lady Anne and I…we had our differences. Her father spoiled her and she was unkind from time to time. She was naughty and picked on me. I lost my temper from time to time and I may have thrown a few punches and chased her down. It was a long time ago.”

“I trust that you are now grown and changed?”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Richard was now annoyed.

***

With a basket of linens in her hand, Grace, an attractive slim brunette, walked towards Isabel’s bedchamber. Suddenly, a hand pulled her aside and dragged her into another chamber. She gasped but then smiled after seeing the man before her.

“Richard!” Throwing her basket aside, she ran into his embrace. “I missed you!”

As she covered his face with kisses, Richard played with the lace on her back. Seductively, she unbuttoned his doublet and reached inside his shirt. A moment later, both were naked with their bodies entangled. Grace laid her head against his chest as Richard stroked her back.

“What is on your mind?” Grace asked.

“How are our children?”

“They are fine,” Grace said happily. “Kate has grown taller; Johnny started to read. I wish you can come to see them sometimes.”

“You know how much I want to,” Richard said honestly. “Soon, I will come see them.”

“That’s what you said last time,” Grace retorted playfully. She knew that Richard will never marry her. She also knew that Richard will never love her, which she could not understand why. She was Richard’s first.

“Grace, tell me about your mistress’s new ward,” Richard asked nonchalantly. “How is she?”

Grace bit her lips. She refused to say until she felt Richard nuzzled her neck. “Last time I have heard,” she told him as she buried her face into his neck. “The Duke hid her away to a place my lady doesn’t even know.”

“Did he?”

“I don’t know where he took Lady Anne, but I saw…” She whispered the rest into Richard’s ear.

Much later, both stood and got dressed. Richard turned and muttered, “Thank you, Grace.”

Grace turned away. “I know you will never love me Richard. But I appreciate your care for our children.”

Richard looked at her and said, “You know Grace, once I’m married, then I cannot…”

“I know,” Grace quickly stopped him before he could finish.

“But you have my word, you and our children will never starve.”

Grace swallowed her tears.

***

The night came and it was raining and windy.

With his squires, Richard sneaked into the castle’s rose garden, which was not too far away from George and Isabel’s quarters. Soon they arrived before a locked garden shed. Instantly, an elder gardener came to greet them.

“Your Grace, this stormy night—“ Before he could finish, Richard threw a bag of gold into his hands.

“Open the door,” he ordered. One of his squires flashed a dagger.

The old man nodded. His hands shaking, he pulled out the keys and unlocked the door. Richard and his squires barged in.

There, on a table surrounded by white roses, Anne slept, only covered by a small blanket. Brushing her hair aside, Richard studied her face. She had become paler and thinner; and her skin was cold. He felt her pulse and thanked God that she was living.

The old man tried to slip away, but was caught by Rob Percy.

Wrapped her in his cloak, Richard carried her to his horse. Before the old gardener could say another word, Rob Percy whispered menacingly in his ear, “Take the money and go! Go far away!” The old man nodded and ran.

With the sleeping Anne in his arms, Richard rode away from the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anne sleeping in the rose garden reflects Grimms' version of "Sleeping Beauty" where the prince found the sleeping princess. 
> 
> But the story does not end here!
> 
> By the way, please do not be upset about me writing Richard and another woman. As we all know, Richard was definitely not a virgin by the time he married Anne.


	4. Chapter 4

Her eyes slowly opened. Her consciousness returned, little by little.

She could hear; she could feel.

She could see.

Then she could move.

It all came back to her.

Using all her strength, she pushed herself up by the elbow and tried to get out of the bed. Her vision was blurry; she could barely maintain her balance. She could feel the cold breeze against her skin.

After a moment, she took a deep breath. Her vision was clearer now. She looked around, but found nothing familiar.

Where was she?

And more importantly, who was she?

She moved towards the door, tried to open it. It took her more than a few attempts, for her arms were weak. She looked into the hall, but saw no one. She sauntered and sauntered until she faced a group of women in dark robes. She froze.

They looked at her as she looked back at them.

She did not know them, no. She found their eyes rather frightening. Scared, she turned and ran.

“Don’t be scared, child,” a maternal voice called after her.

But she was scared. She ran and ran until she fell. Wrapped her arms around herself, she remained on the ground until a nun came forward and placed a robe around her shoulders.

“Lady Anne, come. It’s all right,” she comforted the frightened girl.

“L…Lady…Anne…” Finally she looked up. She could not speak out. “W…who…is…Lady Anne?”

Two other nuns came forward. They picked her up by the arms and walked her back to her chambers. After they settled her in bed, a nun placed a mirror before her. The girl looked into the mirror and saw her reflection.

A face of a stranger.

Pale face, long brown hair, blue eyes…

She reached out her hand, but only felt the cold glass of the mirror.

She touched her face and moved her hair. She found a scar on her forehead.

“Is…that a scar?” she asked. “What happened?”

No one replied.

Her hands moved down before her eyes. Then she noticed the ring on her hand.

Who gave her that ring?

She looked at the nuns and asked, “Who am I? Where am I? What is happening?”

***

“She’s gone!” George ran into Isabel’s chambers. Isabel stood.

“Who’s gone? No, not my sister…” Tears rolled down her cheek. She grabbed George’s doublet and shook him. “You promised me that you provide her care! You killed her! You killed her! How could you?”

Shaking Isabel from him, George retorted, “No! I did not kill her! She’s gone as she’s not there! She is still alive, but somewhere else…”

“What do you mean?” Isabel couldn’t be more confused. “She wakes and walked away? Where did you put her?”

George refused to answer.

“Gloucester!” He said bitingly. “It must be him!”

Isabel tongues were tied.

“We must tell the King!” Isabel finally said. “If it is indeed Richard, then I will speak to the King and ask him to return Anne back to our care at once. I will not tolerate Richard to bully my sister as he did in the past!”

“Save it,” George spat. “Edward already knows. He is not going to waste time on your plea based on child-plays in the past.”

“You are sure that it is Richard?”

“Of course, who else could it be? He wanted to see her, I refused. So now, he snatched her from me!”

Isabel stood her ground. “We will speak to the King. I will have my sister back.”

_And keep the Neville fortune safe in hands._

***

“Where is she?” George demanded. King Edward raised an eyebrow and looked at Richard, who had yet spoken a word. “It was been days and you took her away! You kidnapped her!”

“I saved her,” Richard replied. “You think I will bring her back to you so you can place her back in that garden shed again? Or possibly in an attic above the kitchen?”

Duchess Cecily gasped after hearing that. “Is it true, George?”

George turned to speak to his mother, but he too faced the glances from Isabel.

“No, Mother. It is not true,” he lied.

“Had you not placed there, then how could I take her away?” Richard questioned. “If you placed her safely in a bedchamber suited for a lady, then I could never gain access to her.”

“George!” Isabel stared at him accusingly. “How could you?”

“Lady Anne Neville is an orphan and widow. She had not committed any treason aside from being obedient daughter of her father,” Richard continued, ignoring George and Isabel. “She is ill too. George has a motivation too strong for her to die in her condition than allow her to recover and live. Thus, I have taken her away and placed her in good hands.”

Then he looked at George and said, “Had Lady Anne died, no matter the cause, you will forever remain a suspect of her killer.”

Lastly, Richard spoke to King Edward and Duchess Cecily, “I cannot reveal her current whereabouts. However, I give you my word that she’s in good hands. I also give you my words that I will not force her into marriage unless she wakes and consents.”

Richard bowed and left.

As he walked down the hall, he heard footsteps running after him.

It was Isabel.

“Richard, you can’t do this!” Her eyes were fierce. “You can convince the King how you mistreated Anne as innocent child-plays. But you can’t fool me. I was there! I saw you! You pushed her, punched her! You hurt her! My sister cried with bruises on her arms and legs. My father tolerated it because of your rank. I am _not_ my father. I will not allow you to take advantage of her in her weakest moment! Have some conscience—“

“Maybe you need to tell this to yourself,” Richard replied nonchalantly. “Anne is your sister. But you allowed your husband to kill her slowly, by the hands of nature. He put her in a garden shed, with no protection against the cold winds. She only had a small blanket. She was much thinner than when I found her at Tewkesbury. Had I not saved her, she’d probably be dead by now.”

With that said, he walked away.

Then he halted and said, “Then you will have the Neville fortune for yourself and your husband. Pity, Lady Anne has no one now, truly.”

***

In the sanctuary, Anne joined other nuns for meals. She wore a simple grey gown with her hair braided. From time to time, she twisted that ring on her left hand.

Was she married?

She closed her eyes again but could not remember anything.

No, she remembered one thing.

A figure.

A dark figure.

Walking away from her…

In a black cape…

That image gave her sense of sweetness…

Yet it was so far away…

“Did…did someone bring me here?” she asked.

“Yes, a young man,” one of the nuns told her.

“Was he…dressed in black?”

“Not black…dark blue I believe.”

“Who was he?”

“He did not give us his name,” another nun replied. “But he is a man of high rank.”

Anne looked at her ring again. “Had he come to see me, ever?”

“He did, a few times.”

“Will he come back?”

No one answered her. Anne stopped asking.

Soon, she hoped, that young man would return. He must have the answers.

Suddenly, thunder bolted in the sky. It was loud.

Anne screamed. She crept under the table and covered her ears. She remained there for a long while until Abbess Mother gently ushered her out. Even then she could not stop crying.

“Don’t be scared child, it’s only raining.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now Anne wakes, but she lost her memory.
> 
> Comments please!


	5. Chapter 5

In this study, Richard drafted his petition for the other half of the Neville fortune. George would not take it all; his mother-in-law, widowed Countess of Warwick was still in sanctuary. Given that she was alive, technically all the Neville-Beauchamp inheritance and lands belonged to her. As for himself, not an inch of that Beauchamp estate belonged to him, for now. However, Richard was determined to have the power, fortune, and estates that would be rightfully _his_ once he marries Anne.

George was definitely a worthy rival. Favored by their Lady Mother, George was willing to get his way since their childhood days. Whatever George wanted, whatever George got; and he knew how to get away with naught and mischief. For what he had done to Anne, he should’ve been thrown into the Tower. But now, he was safely in his quarters, perhaps drafting his own petition.

His wife Isabel had been a pain as well. Every now and then, she came to his door, demanding where her sister is. Richard ordered his squires and grooms to bar the door against Duchess of Clarence. In response, the stubborn older daughter of Warwick shouted in the hall and by his window.

“Dickon, Duchess of Clarence has gone mad,” Rob Percy joked.

“Ignore her,” Richard dismissed his remarks. “She’ll retire in exhaustion, sooner or later.”

Then he changed the subject. “Have you found the physician yet?”

“I have,” Rob Percy replied. “I have brought Doctor Simon, a physician from Burgundy.”

Richard nodded in approval. In a few second, Dr. Simon appeared before him. After paying him, Richard had a discussion with him on the subject of “deep sleep”. How long will it last? What can be done to wake a person from deep sleep? Once a person wakes from deep sleep, would that person able to function like he or she did before the deep sleep?

Unfortunately, Dr. Simon could not offer any helpful answer. All he could say was “It’s God’s will.”

Frustrated, Richard dismissed him.

So, should he spend his hours at his prie-dieu to pray that Anne wakes? What if Anne sleeps for hundred years?

He had Anne taken to sanctuary; it was only half victory.

Now, he must think of way to demonstrate Anne’s consent to marry him.

He visited Anne more than a few times. He spoke to her; he even touched her hand. The poor girl made no response to anything. She slept like she was dead.

What if…Anne died in sanctuary? Then George would win indeed.

No, it could not happen. Richard promised himself that he must think of a way to save Anne.

Anne was his key to his power and control in North. If once he marries her, the North would see him as a rightful heir to Warwick rather a usurper. On top of that, there was the Beauchamp estate. As the youngest York brother, Richard never dreamed to be King of England. But he had his fair share of ambition. To him, not only Anne was a stepping stone to power, but a challenge herself.

A romantic challenge.

Richard never had trouble bedding women. Unlike his brother Edward, who had insatiable sexual appetite, Richard only bedded women he cared for.

And his heart had a particular itch for women whom he cared for but could not have.

He cared for Grace, but he never loved her.

Anne was something else.

She shunned him since the day he arrived to Middleham for his training and tutelage. Warwick had suggested the betrothal between the two; but his brother Edward objected. It was not until she was married off to Edward of Lancaster did Richard realize how much he wanted her. Compared to Elizabeth Woodville, Anne was no great beauty. She was too slim to the point that Duchess Cecily doubted her capability to bear a child. And yet, she was very attractive, at least to Richard.

Maybe after seeing Anne suffered so much in exile and loss of a father, Richard found Anne as a person he could bond to like no one else. After all, Richard himself lost his father in battle and was forced into exile twice. In his mind, their marriage meant power, support, and love.

He was going to make this marriage happen.

Then Francis Lovell ran into his study. He was full of excitement.

He went to Richard and whispered something into his ear.

“It’s true?” Richard asked. Francis nodded.

***

With his cloak on his shoulders, Richard walked down the street under the moon light with Francis and Rob Percy behind him. In his mind, he recalled that moment when he bestowed Anne his first kiss.

He wondered if that kiss was magical.

The last time he visited her, Anne was in her deep sleep. Her skin was pale, but she gained some weight for which he thanked the Abbess Mother. Her eyes were closed. Her chest moved up and down as she breathed. Before Warwick took her to exile, she was only thirteen; it was the last time he saw her before she was married off to Lancaster. But now, they met again as adults. At fifteen, Anne had grown. Her features were more mature. Through her nightshift, Richard could see her developed breasts.

His brother Edward would’ve laughed so hard, but Richard found Anne irresistible. 

So he leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips.

He left soon after.

Did Anne wake at that moment?

“Dickon, you’re smiling,” Francis teased. Richard was a very self-reserved man who hardly smiled or laughed in public.

“I’m not smiling,” Richard tried to be his old self.

“Yes you are,” Rob pointed out. “You are thinking about her.”

“Dickon has been like this ever since I told him,” Francis said.

“What did you tell him?” Rob asked.

“It’s a secret.” Richard answered for Francis.

As the three young men teased, argued, and laughed, they arrived before the sanctuary of St. Martin le Grand.

***

Anne had not yet slept. Instead, she sat before the mirror and examined the scar on her head. What happened to me, she wondered. Was I attacked? Then she looked at that ring on her hand. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t remove it.

_Am I married? If so, then who is my husband?_

Her mind then went to that dark figure. That dark figure moving away from her as she opened her eyes.

The nuns told her that a young man dressed in dark doublet brought her here. Could it be him?

Maybe he was her husband.

Or maybe a cousin, a brother, or a friend.

And why was she here in a sanctuary?

If he was her husband, then why did he bring her here?

Anne wished that she could see him now. She had so many questions.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

“Lady Anne, you have a visitor,” a nun told her.

Anne jumped up in excitement. “Who is it? Is it him?”

The nun replied, “You will see.”

Anne trailed behind the nun. In her heart, she was more than eager to see this visitor.

By the time she arrived to greet the visitor, she saw three men before her. She recognized none of them.

“Sister—“ Before she could finish, the nun bowed and left.

She turned to face the three men again, but found the two of them retreated as well.

She was facing a stranger, alone.

He was taller; he had dark curls; he was wearing dark gray doublet with a black cloak over his shoulders. His handsome features were well-defined. He bowed deeply before her. Anne slowly gave him her hand and he gently kissed it.

Anne had a long list of questions but found her tongue completely tied.

“Gentle Lady Anne,” he greeted softly.

“Do…do I know you? Have we met before?” Anne asked with her voice shaking.

“We’ve met,” he replied. “Come, let’s walk.”

He took her hand and led her to the sanctuary’s garden.

***

The moon was large and bright. Anne and her visitor sauntered under the moonlight. It was a little chilling, but it barely bothered her. Studying this handsome stranger, she wondered who he was.

He dressed rather simple. The nuns told her that the man who brought her here was a man of high rank. This man may not dress too richly, but he certainly was not an ordinary individual. He had a presence.

And the rings on his hand looked quite valuable.

“Can you tell me your name?” Anne asked as she shivered in the wind.

The stranger removed his cloak and wrapped in around her. Anne smiled shyly at his closeness.

“It’s Richard,” he replied. “We know each other.”

“Were you the one who brought me here?” She asked.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“It’s complicated.” That was all he said.

“Do you know who I am?” Anne asked again. “I’m sorry. I wake up here and I don’t remember anything. I have so many questions, and I wish that you have the answers.”

Slowly, he muttered, “I may.”

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Anne said softly. “Am I in danger of any sort?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Why?”

Anne brushed away strands of her hair, revealing her scar on her head. “Where did the scar come from? Was I attacked?”

After a moment, Richard told her, “You were, but you are safe now.”

“How long have we known each other?”

“Since we were children?”

“Were we close?”

“We were,” he laughed a little.

“Why did you bring me here?” She asked again.

“To keep you safe.”

Anne paused and then asked, “Do I have family? Loved ones?”

He waited a moment and then answered carefully, “You father is dead. Your mother is in hiding. You sister is not in touch.”

“Where can I find them? My mother and my sister?” Anne’s voice became excited, as if she wanted to grow wings and fly out of there.

“You can’t.”

Anne studied him more closely. She did not find him familiar at all. She closed her eyes and tried to recall the image of that dark figure in black cloak.

Could it be him?

“You said that we were close, but are we now?”

He only laughed.

Anne looked at her ring and then asked, “Is this from you? Did you give me this?”

But he did not say anything to that either.

“Who are you? And what are you to me? Are we related?” Anne continued to ask. “You say you bring me here to keep me safe, why did you do that?”

“Why’d you think?”

“I don’t know,” she replied honestly.

She said nothing more; she even looked away. The moonlight became brighter and she stared at their shadows on the ground. His shadow approached hers, closer and closer. She turned to face him and found his lips brushed hers.

The kiss was gentle and soft at first. But then it became deeper and passionate.

Anne was speechless.

She closed her eyes again, hoping this was not a dream. Yet, when she opened her eyes, he was no longer there.

“Richard?” She cried out. She looked around, but he was nowhere in sight.

Anne ran out of the garden then down the hall of the sanctuary. Finally, she saw him leaving with the two men who came with him.

“Wait!” She ran after them. “Your cloak! It’s cold out there, you need it.”

“No, keep it,” Richard told her. He came close to her and whispered, “You want to know who I am? Don’t tell anyone.”

Anne nodded her head.

“I am your husband.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the excitement begins!
> 
> Comments please!


	6. Chapter 6

Every day, Anne waited and hoped for the nuns to announce that she has a visitor. At night, she slept clutching that cloak in her arms.

 _I am your husband,_ he whispered in her ear. Each time she thought of that, she blushed.

And that kiss he gave her was dreamy and passionate.

But to her disappointment, days had passed and Richard never came to see her again. Walking around in sanctuary’s court yard, Anne wondered where he could be. A few times, she thought of running away from this dark sanctuary to search him. He was her husband, wasn’t he? Then why was she here and he was somewhere else?

 _So I am a married woman_ , Anne thought. _My husband is a man of high rank; he has wealth; his name is Richard_.

 _And he brought me here for safety_.

_He must love me._

Days became week; there was still no sign of him.

***

“Lady Anne, you have a visitor,” a nun came to her chamber and announced.

Anne immediately looked at herself in the mirror to make sure her face looked clean and her hair was tact. She followed the nun to greet her “visitor”. Before her stood Richard.

He came to her and took her hand to kiss. But to his surprise, Anne pulled away and turned from him.

Richard followed.

“Wait, Anne,” he caught up with her and took her arm. “What is it? Are you upset with me?”

Anne pulled her arm away. She faced him with anger and frustration.

“You lied to me!” She spat.

“I lied to you?” Richard had not prepared to respond to that. “How have I lied to you?”

“You told me that you are my…my…” Anne was not too comfortable to speak that word out, fearing that something might happen to her had she did. After all, Richard instructed her not to tell anyone his relation to her. “But you left me here, alone. It has been days and you pay me no visit.”

“Anne, I would’ve visited you every day if I could, but…it’s hard to explain,” he looked at her, seeking her understanding. “It’s very difficult for me to come see you.”

“Is it?” Anne was not too convinced. “Do you care for me?”

“Of course,” he replied. “Had I not, I wouldn’t even bring you here.”

Anne was silent for a moment and then she said, “I missed you. I miss you every day and night. I want to believe you, but forgive me, I cannot remember. You are like a mysterious shadow. I fear that one day, you will be gone and I’ll never see you again.”

She walked towards him, closer and closer until he pulled her in his arms. He held her tightly.

“The sisters will have my supper prepared. Would you like join me this evening?” she asked.

“It’d be my pleasure.”

***

Sitting side by side, Anne and Richard ate. Richard caringly cut the meat for Anne. Then he used his fork to feed her. Anne couldn’t help but smiled shyly. As they ate, Anne peeked at Richard and studied his movement. His gestures indicated that he was a man from upper class. His outfit was simple, but Anne was deeply convinced that he was a man with power and wealth.

Maybe he could be a prince…

“Do we have a house? A manor?” She asked.

“No,” he replied. He looked at her and waited for her reaction.

“Then where do we live?”

“We have a castle,” he laughed. “A huge castle.”

“Really?” Anne was happy to hear that. “Where is it?”

“Far, far away from here.”

“When can I see it?”

“When time is right.”

Anne was disappointed to hear that.

“We don’t any children, I assume?” She asked carefully.

“No,” he replied.

“Our wedding, was there festivals? How many guests?”

 _She never stops asking questions_ , Richard thought.

“It was a small, simple ceremony,” he replied.

“Was I…pretty?”

“No,” he said. “You were barely fourteen then, a little too small for a woman. You wore a dress of your sister’s, who is much taller than you. But you have grown and much more beautiful now.”

“Our wedding night…what was it like?”

“I don't feel like talking about it tonight,” he said evenly.

Anne decided to let it go.

“How long have we married?”

“Not long,” he said. He took her hand and stroked her ring. “Your father had us married right before the war—“

“There was a war?” Anne asked uneasily.

Richard nodded. “We grew up together. We played and sometimes we fought, like two puppies. There was a day when you poured water over my favorite doublet and I was outraged and pushed you to the ground. You stopped speaking to me since. And then one day, your father announced our betrothal and marriage. You were still mad at me so you gave me this…dead silence throughout the ceremony. Actually, you _scratched_ me during the ceremony. The day after we married, I departed for war and we haven’t seen each other until that day I found you. I was told that you were taking sanctuary then. I went to seek you out, but only found you unconscious on the ground.”

He paused and then continued, “You fell from a horse.”

Hearing that, Anne touched her scar on her forehead. “I guess that’s how I obtained this scar.”

“I brought you here for your safety.”

“But the war, isn’t it over now?”

“It is; but your father, he died in battle. He and the King…had some differences which still unsettled. It’s too much to explain this evening, but trust me, it is for your sake that you stay here.”

“And where are you staying?”

“Don’t ask,” he said coldly.

Anne swallowed her words.

Richard left when the moon shined above in the sky.

“Wait,” Anne took his hand. “Will you kiss me goodbye?”

Richard leaned over and kissed her on the lips.

“Can you stay for the night?”

“Anne, we cannot scandalize the sanctuary.”

“Please come see me more often then,” she pleaded. “I’m scared to be left alone.”

***

Richard did visit her more often. He filled her in bits and pieces on things that happened in court. He did not give her any names, but Anne now understood the difficulties Richard faced.

Her father died in battle and the King gave him a deserving funeral. But the Queen was not happy with that.

Her sister was now married to a prince but she was locked in her chambers by her husband.

Her mother was somewhere in a sanctuary; safe but out of touch.

“But once the King hears my petition, we will have our lands and our castle. I will take you away from here,” he promised. “I will take you to a place where you can find nothing but happiness.”

“What about my sister? Can you save her from her evil husband? And my mother? Can we find her?” Anne showed her concern for her family, whoever was left.

“For now, they are not in danger; except for discomforts,” Richard muttered. “One thing at a time.”

Anne looked out the window and smiled.

“Richard, look! It’s snowing!”

Richard laughed at her happiness and excitement. “I have something for you.”

“What is it?”

In his hand, Richard had a fur cloak. He wrapped it on her shoulders and took her hand. “Come, now you don’t have to worry about the cold.”

He led her outside and enjoyed as the white snowflakes fell onto Anne’s hair. It was indeed a perfect picture. In Richard’s eyes, no one was ever pure as snow than Anne, in the matter of heart.

Seeing him staring at her, Anne mischievously rolled up a snowball and threw it at him. Wiping snow off his face, Richard made a bigger snowball and threw it back at Anne. The two ran around, throwing snow at each other until they were exhausted.

And then, the two began to build a snowman together. They were happy with their achievement.

“You know,” Richard whispered in her ear. “There is a story that a knight fell in love with a lady. Before he departed for his duties, he built her a snowman to keep her company. Winter passed and then came spring. The knight still hadn’t returned and the snowman melted. The lady cried and cried; she too left the castle to search for her knight.”

“Did they find each other?”

“No,” Richard said. “The morning dew is supposed to be the results of her tears.”

“But we found each other,” Anne said, resting her head against his shoulder.

***

By the time Richard prepared to leave, the snow stopped. Anne looked at the snowman and suddenly felt bereft.

“Richard, can I ask you for something?”

He nodded.

“Forgive me, I shouldn’t doubt you,” Anne said with guilt. “But I can’t help it. You are so kind to me and I enjoy each moment with you. But somehow, every time I think of marriage, I have this feelings of darkness…I don’t know. I am happy with you…but I don’t know why I feel this way. And today with that story you told me…I’m sorry…I’m scared…I’m scared that you will not come back…”

“I will,” he insisted. “I will never leave you behind, for I am your husband.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, truly, your faithless one,” he teased.

“Then next time you come, can you bring our marriage contract?” She asked. "I like to see it, even if only one glimpse."

He hesitated a little, then replied, "Yes, certainly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During Middle Ages, especially among people in high classes, there were marriage contracts between the two individuals who married - these are the origin of marriage certificates. The contract indicates who's marrying who, exchange of property, lands, etc.
> 
> But not all marriage contract survive, especially during time of war.
> 
> Comments please!


	7. Chapter 7

“Lady Anne, you have a visitor.”

Hearing that, Anne leaped out of her chair and followed the nun to greet her visitor. To her disappointment, however, it was not Richard. Instead, if she recalled correctly, it was one of the two men who came with Richard when he first visited her.

“My lady,” he bowed and presented her a letter.

The letter was from Richard, who apologized for his lack of visit. He had promised to show her their marriage contract, he said; and thus, he must keep that promise. In other words, until he could present her their marriage contract, he could not come. The war had left their lives torn, he continued, with things lost and document destroyed. Since they were married in such haste in North, the original document would be difficult to track. Please have faith in him, he beseeched.

He signed as your significant other.

It took Anne much longer to finish the letter. Her memory loss had not reduced her literacy, but it did impact her speed of reading and understanding. Richard’s handwriting was so unfamiliar. Anne could not wonder if Richard ever wrote to her when they were apart during the “war”.

“Do you have a reply, my lady?”

“No,” Anne shook her head. “You can tell him, that my patience is thin and I really want to see him.”

“Very well,” he bowed and turned to leave.

“Wait,” Anne called after him. “What is your name?”

“Francis Lovell, my lady.”

***

Francis felt deeply sympathetic towards Anne. He, too, grew up with Anne at Middleham along with Richard. He remembered Anne as an active, headstrong girl with sharpest tongue. Now she was reduced to a young woman with nothing but loss and confusion.

He told Richard what Anne had informed him.

“Dickon, between you and me, what have you told her?” Francis asked out of curiosity.

Richard replied nothing. “That would be between myself and Lady Anne, the soon to be Duchess of Gloucester.”

“She does love you, I saw it in her eyes,” Francis told him. “She wants to see you.”

Richard closed his eyes and sank into thoughts.

 _Think, Richard, think_.

“Why can’t you go see her?” Francis pressed.

As Francis pressed on, Rob Percy came. “I hate to tell you this Dickon, but I have some duties to fulfill.”

“What duties?” Richard inquired.

“From His Grace the King,” Rob Percy replied. “Sir Richard Byron took leave with his wife, Lady Anne Knollys. His mother-in-law fell ill and thus he left the court with his lady wife. Thus His Grace asked me to full in.”

“For how long?”

“Not long, I heard,” Rob replied. “His house remained in near London.”

Richard nodded.

After Rob Percy left, Richard grabbed Francis by the shoulder. “Francis, I have something for you to do and you shall speak to no one of it.”

***

Anne woke up and found the nuns in mass prayer; it was not even Sunday.

“Sister, what has happened?” She asked.

“Grace of God! Last night, there was a horrible fire! The manor of Sir Richard Byron, it burned down! It was God’s blessing that no one was hurt!”

“Sir Richard Byron?” Anne could not help but thought about her Richard. “Who is he?”

“I don’t know,” the nun replied. “He left London only one day ago with his wife.”

Then Anne took that Sir Richard Byron was not her Richard.

But could it be…

Anne tried not to think that. Yet, she recalled Richard’s hesitation to show her their marriage contract. She sincerely prayed that her Richard was not that Richard Byron who was already married.

As Anne paced down the hall, she looked up and stopped.

Richard had come at last.

Her Richard.

She raced down the hall and ran into his arms.

“Richard, I missed you!” She said against his doublet.

“And I you.”

“Then why haven’t you come see me? What took you so long?”

Richard paused a moment, then gestured, “Anne, come. Let’s walk.”

***

As they came to the garden, Richard spoke, “I promised you to show your…our marriage contract. It was harder than I expected. The war caused so much loss and mess. Things are lost. When we were married, we had done that in secrecy and haste.”

“In other words…” Anne looked at him questioningly.

“This was all that’s left,” he said gravely as he took out the document from his doublet.

It was a document, but a charred and blacken document. Most of the words on the document were blurry and incomprehensible. The only readable words on that document were the names “Richard” and “Anne”.

“What does it mean?” Anne asked with her hands shaking.

“It means that our marriage could be invalid in the eyes of law and the Church,” Richard explained. “We did not marry with a big festival before many eyewitnesses. The only people presented were you, I, your father, and the priest. I tried but couldn’t find the priest. With your father dead and our marriage contract destroyed, we don’t have proof to prove our marriage valid and true.”

Anne could not say anything. Slowly, tears fell from her eyes.

“Anne!” Richard approached her and took out a handkerchief from his doublet. Anne cried against his chest.

“What are we going to do now?” Anne wept. “I’m afraid, Richard. I’m all alone. My father dead; my sister imprisoned by her abusive husband. My mother, I don’t know where she is. I want to see her. I want to see my mother.”

“Anne, don’t cry,” Richard comforted her. After she stopped crying, Richard said to her, “If you have a choice, would you go find your mother or you go with me?”

“What?” Anne could not understand what he was trying to say.

“I’m going to give you a choice: go find your mother, stay here, or go with me,” Richard replied as he held her hand. “When we married, it was your father’s arrangement against your will. I know I had not been good to you and caused you pain. But now, I will hand that choice to you. If you want to be with your mother, then I can petition the King to make that happen. If you like to stay here, then I will walk out and never bother you again. If you like to go with me, then we can marry again—valid this time.”

Anne said nothing.

“Who are you really?” She asked after a moment of silence. “If we were to marry again, how would I know it’d be different from the last time?”

“We’d marry before the King.”

“Why? How?”

“Because he is my brother,” Richard replied evenly. “I am Richard, the Duke of Gloucester.”

Anne chuckled, “They said that you are a man with wealth and power; and I guessed that you must be a prince. And I was right.”

“Well, Anne? What’s your answer?”

Anne looked at him and asked, “What would life be if I remain here?”

“You will eventually take the veil to become a nun,” Richard said. “Studies and prayers; but war and hunger will not plague you.”

“And be with my mother?”

“The same for she too is at a sanctuary.”

“And be with you?”

“That will make you a royal duchess. We will leave here and go somewhere far away; a place where we grew up together with our large castle.”

“Where’s that?”

“Middleham.”

Anne thought for a moment and then replied, “Give me three days and I will give you an answer.”

“Very well then,” Richard took her hand and kissed it.

“Your Grace—“

“ _Richard_ ,” he insisted.

“When I give you my answer, it’s my absolute answer from my heart. Nothing will change my mind.”

Richard nodded and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will have Edward IV playing a trick.
> 
> Comments please!


	8. Chapter 8

_Give me three days…_

He had two more days to wait.

While hunting with King Edward, Richard focused on the falcon. It had so much patience with its target.

Patience.

Had Richard his way, he would’ve made Anne his wife at once on the spot. However, as King Edward required, Anne must give her consent. So, Richard had to be patient with Anne’s request of three days.

“You are not active today, Dickon,” King Edward said as he rode besides him. “What’s on your mind?”

By his eyes, King Edward obvious knew the answer already. “So has the Sleeping Princess wake yet?”

“She has,” Richard replied.

“Is she well?”

“She is well, but lost her memory of the past.”

“That might be a blessing,” King Edward sighed. “And had she give you her consent to your marriage proposal?”

“Not yet,” Richard said. “She gives me three days; in three days she will give me an answer.”

“Three days? What do you think her answer will be?”

“I cannot read her mind.” That was an honest answer.

King Edward chuckled. “If you like, Dickon, I can have her accept your proposal today.”

Richard looked at his brother and did not know what he was up to.

“Trust me, Dickon. Just do everything as I instruct; do not worry, I will not force Lady Anne against her will. By the end of the day, she will accept your hand.”

Then he smirked.

***

Anne stayed in her bedchamber and could not stop thinking about Richard.

Should she go with him?

He was handsome; a royal duke; a wealthy man. He could offer her protection. And he loved her; at least Anne wanted to believe that. But somewhere in her heart, there was a barrier. Whenever she thought of the word “marriage”, she felt like an unknown darkness consuming her. Richard had told her that before the war their marriage was short and awkward. Had they bedded even?

But it should not matter now.

Richard offered her a chance to start anew. She could follow him and they marry before the King; she’d be a royal duchess. What would life be like? To her, it was a little frightening and unpredictable.

Richard also told her that she could stay here. Unlike the former option, life along this path was clear and obvious. She’d be a nun; life would be fulfilled with prayer and studies but protected from hunger and war. She could be safer here.

Yet, that also meant that she’d never see Richard again.

How could she cut him out of her heart?

In her bedchamber, there was his cloak, which he wrapped her in against the chilling breeze. On her chair was the fur cloak, a gift from Richard that allowed her to play in the snow. In the garden was that snowman, or whatever left of it, which they built together. She missed his presence. His kiss.

No, she could not think of living a life without him.

But why still…

Oh why was she so indecisive?

As Anne frustrated with herself, a nun told her that she has a visitor.

 _Richard_? Didn’t he promise to give her more time?

Uneasily, Anne followed the nun and went to receive her visitor.

Before her stood Francis Lovell, whom she met twice by now; the first time he came with Richard and the second time he delivered Richard’s letter.

“Mr. Lovell, you have a letter from Richard?” She asked.

“No, my Lady,” Francis replied. “I came under the order of His Grace, the King.”

“The King?” Anne raised an eyebrow.

Two more men came forward, carrying a chest. Inside, there were fine linens, dresses, and jewelries.

“Gifts from His Grace the King,” Francis said. “He likes me to bring you to court.” His tone was gentle yet firm. Anne knew she could not say no.

A moment later, Lady Anne Neville was all dressed for court. Out of her gray gown, she was now in a beautiful blue gown with pearls. Her hair was braided with fine ribbons. On her neck was a sapphire necklace.

“Come,” Francis led Lady Anne Neville to the litter. “It won’t be long.”

***

Following Francis, Anne sauntered into the Great Hall. Before her, King Edward and Queen Elizabeth sat regally on their throne. Nobles and ladies stood by two sides. Anne kept her eyes on the ground, as Francis instructed her earlier. When she reached a few feet before the King, she stopped and curtsied deeply.

King Edward smirked. He had George and Isabel locked in their chambers for the day. He was not going to allow them to ruin today’s occasion.

“You may rise,” King Edward said.

Slowly, Anne raised her head. King Edward was handsome and fair; at one glance, she doubted Richard’s words again. Richard told her that he was King Edward’s younger brother, but she saw no resemblance between the two.

The King stood. “Lady Anne, do you swear your loyalty to me?”

“Yes sire,” she replied meekly. “I am forever your humble servant.”

“Then you are fully pardoned,” he announced as everyone in the hall applauded. “Come.”

Taking her hand, he led her to the end of the hall, where a group of nobles stood in a row. “Lady Anne, before you stood our finest lads in the court. Title, wealth, lands—they have it all. On the fields, all of them are great warriors who fought bravely under my banner.” He turned and looked at her. “Today, I will grant you the fortune not even my own daughter could afford—a husband of your choice.”

“One among these men?” Anne asked.

“Any man in this hall,” the King replied as he removed a ring from his hand. “Here, when you made your choice, you can place this ring on his finger.”

Anne walked before the men; she looked at their faces but found none of them appealing. In her heart, she thought about Richard again. These men were good-looking for sure, but the problem was none of them was Richard. She turned away from these men and looked at the other men in the Great Hall. Suddenly, she froze. Standing besides the King’s throne stood a groomsman. Instantly, she recognized that face.

Without a hesitation, she quickly went to him. She took his hand and was about to place the ring on his finger.

“Wait!” King Edward called after her. “Lady Anne, you must choose wisely.”

“I am, Sire,” she replied. “You granted me the fortune to wed a husband of my choice; and I choose him.”

“A groomsman?” The King laughed. “You would wed a groomsman instead of a man of noble birth with incalculable wealth?”

“I’d wed him even if he were a chimneysweep,” Anne said as she curtsied.

“Once you married him, then you will live a life of a groomsman’s wife,” the King warned.

“Then I accept.”

“You still have a chance to change your mind,” the King said. “You can marry an earl instead of a groomsman.”

“Do you love your queen, Sire?” Anne asked boldly. “Would you give her up for a wealthy princess?”

Everyone gasped at her boldness.

King Edward’s face stoned for a second, then he burst out laughing, “Well said, Lady Anne, well said!”

He took her hand and placed it in that groomsman’s. “She has given her consent, Dickon!”

Richard, who dressed as a groomsman under his brother’s instruction, took Anne’s hand as Anne slipped that ring onto his finger.

“The Duke of Gloucester and Lady Anne Neville shall marry tomorrow, here.” The King announced as everyone applauded.

Anne smiled as she blushed.

***

That night, Anne did not return to the sanctuary. King Edward arranged her to stay in a quarter close to Richard’s.

As she released her braids, she heard a knock on the door.

She opened the door and found a much older woman wearing a hood. She never met her before, or at least, she did not remember.

“Don’t be afraid, child,” the old woman muttered as she entered her chamber. She put down her hood and revealed her face. “I am a friend.”

She was probably in her late forties. Her hair was dirty blonde and piled into plaits.

“Have me met before?” Anne asked.

“We may,” she replied. “I am here to save you.”

“Save me? From what?”

“From _him_ ,” she emphasized. “You cannot marry him.”

“Richard?” Anne shook her head. “You will not speak ill of him. He is my husband of choice!”

“He is a monster!” The woman rebuked. “He is deceiving you!”

“He is not!” Anne retorted. “If you insist, do you have anything prove it?”

The woman presented her a small bottle of potion in her palm. “Use this, on him. By then, he will reveal his true face. Do not allow him to deceive you with his treachery.”

“This is not poison, is it?” Anne asked under her breath.

“No, I assure you it is not,” the woman replied. “I may not like him, but I am not foolish enough to harm a royal duke.”

Anne said nothing.

“Use it child, for your own good.”

With that said, she was gone.

Holding that bottle of potion, Anne’s heart sank into seas of hesitation, fear, and unknown again.

***

Leaving Anne’s chamber, the woman returned to her own. As she arrived, her servants greeted her, “Lady Jacquetta.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is far from the end - there will be more chapters!
> 
> Comments please!
> 
> And Happy Holidays to all readers around the world!


	9. Chapter 9

Staring that bottle of potion before her, Anne wondered should she use it.

What if it was poison? That woman said that she would not harm a royal duke; but then again, if Anne used it on Richard, it’d be _Anne_ who harmed the royal duke.

That woman said that Richard is a treacherous, deceiving monster; and that the potion will reveal his true façade. If so, then everyone in court could see and King Edward would free her. Right?

Anne didn’t know what to do. By her own curiosity, however, she did want to know about truth beneath it all.

About Richard...

She wanted to see her his true form...

After another moment of debating, she scripted a note and asked a maid to deliver it to Richard.

_Come to my chambers. I need to see you._

After the maid left, Anne prepared two goblets. With her hands shaking, she opened the small bottle and poured some potions into one. Then, she stopped and poured the other half of the potion into the other goblet. Lastly, she added wine to both.

Perhaps it was better if they both use it.

If it were poison, then they both die.

If it were magical potion, then they both reveal their true faces.

It was fair.

She wanted to know her true form as well.

The moment after she poured the wine, she heard a knock on the door. She opened and found Richard.

After he entered her chamber, Anne sauntered to the goblets. Carrying one in each hand, she offered one to Richard.

“Tomorrow we will wed again. The night before our wedding, I like to have a drink with you,” she muttered as neutrally as possible.

“It’d be my pleasure,” Richard said as he drank the wine.

After seeing Richard emptied the goblet without a hesitation, Anne felt guilty for doubting him. He sure trusted her.

Slowly, she emptied her goblet as well.

 _Come what may_.

Instantly, she felt warm.

She looked at Richard; and Richard looked back at her.

“You know, Richard,” Anne started talking. She felt as if an unknown spirit possessed her body and she had no control over it. “I woke up in the sanctuary not remembering anything in the past. The sisters told me that it was you who brought me here. But how could I know? How could I know that it was not you who put me into that deep sleep?”

“Anne—“

Anne approached him with an accusing stare. “You told me that we were married before the war; you presented me a brunt document as evidence. But how could I know it’s the truth? What are your true intentions with me, Richard? Were you happy with me? Why do you want to marry me?”

Unbuttoning his doublet, as he was feeling warm as well, Richard spoke, “I did bring you to the sanctuary. When I found you, you were in your deep sleep, wearing nothing except for your night shift. It was I who wrapped you in my cloak and carried you all the way to the sanctuary. It was I who woke you from your deep sleep.” With his thumb stroking her lip, he continued, “I came to you and bestowed a kiss on your lips. I take that you woke up soon after.”

“So you were that man in the black cloak, the first person I saw after waking up,” Anne muttered. “You are the King’s brother; you are a royal duke. Out of so many women in this kingdom, why do you choose me?”

Richard laughed bitterly. “You think it is easy to be a royal duke?” He torn his shirt open, revealing his scars. “From years of martial art training; then Battle of Barnet and Battle of Tewkesbury; afterwards, the Scots. I’m only eighteen, Anne. But as Constable of England and military commander, I must prepare to give up my life for my brother the King as needed!

“When my Lord Father and my dear brother Edmund were slain in the battlefield, I saw their heads on spikes! I was only eight! Eight!” He grabbed Anne by the shoulders and pulled her close as he spoke. “Afterwards, I was forced into exile. Then your father, the Kingmaker, made my brother Edward King. Soon after, I returned to England. I was sent to train and study under your father’s tutelage. There I met you. You, Anne, had the cruelest and sharpest tongue! Why did you have to say that I’m no good? Why did you have to say that I can’t measure up to Ned? Why did you have to throw things at my horse? You alerted my horse and the horse threw me off. My back still pains me to this day! You…you hurt me!”

His grip on her was strong as ever. “Then ironically, at Tewkesbury, it was you who fell from your horse! You were in deep sleep and lost your memory! But that was not the only thing you lost! You lost your father! He died in battle, an ax cut into his stomach and he fell! Your mother abandoned you!”

He stopped there.

Anne tried to push him away, but Richard’s grip was stronger than iron.

“Where are my mother and sister now?”

“Your sister is with her husband, whom was now pardoned. Your mother hiding in sanctuary seeking help from your sister, who ignored her plea! Your dear brother-in-law George tried to murder you. After you fell into deep sleep, he put you in a shed so that you will die in the hands of nature. But I saved you! All you have is me!”

“Do I?” Anne asked.

“You and I are destined to be, don’t you see?” Richard’s tone became more excited as he pressed his forehead against hers. “We both fell from a horse, which impacted us to this day; we grew up together, though it wasn’t the kindest experience; we were to be together but the war torn up apart; we both lost a father and tasted cruelest experience in exile!”

He grabbed Anne’s hand and kissed it hard. “But you come back to me. It was I who revived you from your deep sleep. You’re mine Anne.”

He pulled Anne in his arm and pressed her hard against his bare chest. His other hand untied the lace of her dress. Gently, he slipped his hand under her dress and stroked her bareback. “Come to North with me, Anne. Let’s get away from London. Here, there’s too much treachery, deceits, facades. One day you are my friend, next day you are my enemy. This is the loneliest place, the most frightening place. Don’t leave me all alone, Anne please! Let’s be far away from here as soon as we can… you and me!”

By now, Anne’s eyes were full of tears.

“Tell me Anne, will you truly wed me with no regret?” He asked beseechingly.

As tears stained her face, Anne nodded, a little hesitant at first but then confidently.

Richard leaned down and kissed her on the lips. His hands unlaced her dress and pulled it off her, leaving her only in her underdress. Swiftly, he carried her to bed. As he climbed on top of her, he threw off his doublet and kissed her passionately on the lips and then down to her throat. He left a trail of kisses on her body through her underdress. Anne did not resist. Instead, she welcomed his passion.

Pulling her up, he kissed her shoulders as he pulled down the strap of her underdress, leaving her torso exposed. Slowly, he caressed her breasts with his lips. Anne gasped as his tongue caressed her nipple. As he lowered his lips to her stomach, he hands touched her ankle.

Instantly, Anne pushed him away.

She did not know why, but that moment it gave her fear and discomfort.

Richard looked at her as she looked at him.

Slowly, he reached to her and stroked her jaw line. Then he pulled her underdress back up and placed her under the coverlet.

Kissed her between the brow, he muttered, “We can’t. Not tonight.”

“Richard…” Her eyes asked him to stay.

“The night of morrow.”

Throwing his doublet back on, Richard stumbled out of her chamber.

That night, he was on his knees at his prie-dieu.

_Forgive me, father, for I have sinned…._

It was he who killed her first husband.

It was he who had her father-in-law killed by the order of the King.

It was he who lied to her to beguile her to agree to marry him.

But he did love her—that was the truth beyond words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess this chapter answered questions regarding to Richard's true feelings towards Anne.
> 
> Comments please!


	10. Chapter 10

Anne woke up with a headache and no memory of what occurred last night, at least not after she drank with Richard. Rubbing her head, Anne moaned as the ladies pulled her bed curtain open to prepare her for her wedding.

“Oh my Lady Anne, look how you blush!” They teased as they changed her into a new dress of gold threads.

As they braided her hair, a maid held a mirror before her face. Anne was surprised by her reflection. She was not that pale anymore. Rather, she was glowing.

She then recalled last night she poured that potion given by that mysterious woman into two goblets; one for herself and one for Richard. According to that old lady, that potion could reveal one’s true face. Since she consumed it, then her current reflection must be her true face then: a blushing bride-to-be. Thinking of that, Anne giggled. The ladies laughed with her.

“You are very fortunate, Lady Anne,” one of them whispered to her. “Duke of Gloucester is a righteous man.”

“A great warrior, a well-educated man,” another chimed in. “And very handsome too.”

Anne smiled shyly.

“Where is the Duke now?” She asked.

“His Grace is in his own chambers, my lady. You will see him, soon.”

Anne recalled that scene where Richard consumed that goblet of wine with that potion. She wondered if his true face was revealed as well. That old woman called him a monster. Thus his true face should not be a handsome face then. What could he have instead? A horn? A mole? A green face?

“Have…have you seen any man who is evil like monsters?” Anne asked carefully.

“Yes,” one of the replied. “Fridays, the day when executions are held. I saw one man hanged for murdering a child. His eyes, you can see that evil spirit.”

“Does he have a horn?”

That lady laughed. “No, but he does have a mole on his neck.”

“Oh my, we should have this removed,” one of the ladies pointed to that ring on her hand.

Anne did not protest. She certainly wanted a fresh start with Richard.

“I tried to remove it, but it stuck,” she said.

With some oils, the ladies managed to slip it off her hand.

Finally, she were prepared. A dress of golden threads, a beautiful headdress, and donned with jewels—Anne was a true bride for a Yorkist prince.

***

The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey. Anne was anxious to see Richard, wonder what his true form was like. When she finally saw him, it was rather a pleasant surprise. Dressed in a dark blue doublet glittered in gold, Richard was the prince any girl would’ve dreamed.

Instead of a monster, on the contrary, he was handsome as ever; the only thing that changed was his features, which were more relaxed.

No horn. No mole.

Richard woke up late this morning with a headache as well. Like Anne, he could hardly recall the events happened the night before. But he certainly felt great at heart, like a rock had lifted. Seeing Anne, nothing could make him happier. She was so captivating and beautiful.

The two knelt as they joined hands. After the priest blessed them and declared them husband and wife, rain of rice fell on them as they rose to their feet. That was the guests’ blessing for their fecundity.

Following the ceremony were the festivities with dances, wines, and jesters. The King and Queen were present. Queen Elizabeth, heavily pregnant, sat as King Edward danced with a redheaded woman named Jane Shore. George and Isabel were noticeably absent for they were still locked in their quarters under King Edward’s order. Anne sat next to Richard as guests came forward to congratulate them and presented their wedding gifts. Richard’s hand never left hers. Anne could not hide her joy as his ring band touched hers.

“A toast! To the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester!”

“To the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester!”

Everyone raised their goblets.

Anne never stopped blushing.

***

In her bedchamber, now _their_ bedchamber, clad in her nightshift with a pink wrap around her shoulders, Anne waited for Richard. She looked at her left hand again and smiled at her new ring. Their first wedding, as Richard told her, was simple, in haste, with no guest; and she borrowed her sister’s dress, which was all too big. This wedding, however, was much more different. The ceremony was larger with many eyewitnesses, including the King and Queen. She wore a beautiful gold dress, trimmed for her size. There were so many smiling faces and blessings.

She couldn’t be happier.

Then the door opened, Richard arrived. Closing the door behind him, he held out his arms as Anne went to him. Pressing her head against his chest, Anne closed her eyes as Richard stroked her hair.

“Come Anne,” Richard led her to bed. Removing her wrap and her slippers, he settled her in bed.

“I have something for you,” Richard said as he took out a document from his doublet. “Look.”

It was their new marriage contract. The words were printed clearly.

“Can you read it to me?” Anne asked.

Taking back the marriage contract, Richard read it out loud, “On the 12th of July 1472, Richard the Duke of Gloucester and Lady Anne Neville celebrated their union…”

Leaning back on her pillows, Anne was moved to tears. She reminisced the day when she came to her senses. A man wearing black cloak was walking away from her. Had she had the strength, she would’ve stopped him. She waited for him for she was a helpless soul not knowing where she was or who she was. After days of waiting, he came. They walked in the garden and he placed his cloak around her shoulder to keep her warm against the cold breeze. He then kissed her under the moonlight. It was so romantic that she closed her eyes. She opened them but found him gone.

Like a child, she ran to find him. Before he left, he secretly told him that he was her husband.

And he was gone again.

And she waited, like a lost soul waiting for her anchor.

He came back on a snowing day. Clad in that cloak trimmed in fur, a gift from him, she built a snowman with him.

It was that day she asked him to show her their marriage contract all because she feared to never see him again. He left and did not come back for a long time. How she waited! The snowman melted away and the spring came. Finally, he came. A man of his words, he managed to find their marriage contract, or whatever was left of it.

He asked her to marry him again.

At the time, she couldn’t say yes; so she asked him to give her time.

Only when the King asked her to choose another man as her husband did she realize how much Richard meant to her. Whoever he is, she wanted him.

And how dare that old woman called him a monster!

She tricked him to drink that potion. And he trusted her.

After he finished reading, Anne rearranged the pillows so that he could join her. Richard took the cue and put down the bed curtain. After he undressed, he joined her in bed. Gathering her in his arms, he caressed her as Anne buried her head in his neck. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her passionately. She kissed him back; not that she was unwilling, but she was more an amateur.

But Richard didn’t seem to mind.

Tugging at her nightshift, he pulled it over her head.

It was then Anne pulled away. Naked as she was born, she shivered in discomfort and in coldness.

“Anne, sweetheart, what is the matter?” Richard stroked her jaw line.

Crossing her arms over her breasts and pressed her thighs together, Anne looked away. “I…I don’t know what to do…”

Tilted her chin to look at him, Richard kissed her tenderly. “Don’t think and don’t speak. Just follow your heart. You can do no wrong tonight.”

His words relaxed her. Reaching out her arms, she held him and pressed her body against his. Touching skin to skin, she enjoyed the warmth of his body and the love from his caresses. She closed her eyes as his lips caressed her neck, shoulder, and breasts. Anne let out her moans.

He laid her down and kissed down to her belly and thighs while cupped her breasts. Anne curved her back.

She welcomed the moment when Richard rolled on top of her.

He whispered in her ear, “Relax, trust me.” His hand slid down to caress her sex and then, he entered his finger into her. One, two, and then three.

Anne groaned in both pleasure and pain.

“Look at me,” he said. Anne opened her eyes and met his. “Do you want me?”

Anne nodded. “I do.”

Pulling his fingers out, Richard wrapped her legs around him and entered her. Anne gasped in pleasure. She held on to him as his body moved above her like waves of sea. Her hands caressed his back as he made love to her.

They continued until they stopped in exhaustion.

***

It was a long night, but full of love and passion.

Richard and Anne lay in bed with their body intertwined. Anne traced his scars as he buried his face in her hair.

“Does it hurt?” Anne asked, referring to his scars.

“It did, but now they are healed.”

“You are not going to another war, are you?”

“Not for the time being.”

“Can we ask the King to never send you the battlefield again?”

“Nonsense! I am the Constable of England, it’s my duty.”

Before Anne could say another word, a thunder interrupted their moment. Frightened, Anne held Richard harder.

“Sweetheart, it’s only raining,” he comforted her.

“I know, but the sound of that thunder and rain…it scares me so much.”

“It’s all right, I’m here. Nothing can harm you.”

Anne buried her face into his chest.

And Richard did not let her go for the rest of the night.  

He had waited for this night for too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So they are married, but this is not the end!
> 
> Comments please!


	11. Chapter 11

Anne woke up with warmness on her chest, like an array of sunshine. She moaned in pleasure and was too lazy to open her eyes. Then she felt something tickling under her nose. Slowly, she forced her heavy-lid eyes open and found herself facing mass of black curls.

There was no sunshine for they were inside.

She was in bed, naked. Richard, her husband, was on top of her, nuzzling her breasts.

That was what made her feel warm.

“Richard?” She murmured.

Raised his head from her breasts, Richard leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Holding her hands down, he made love to her. For Anne, it was rather refreshing, unlike last night, where the love-makings made her drowsy. After a long moment, Richard rolled of Anne to catch his breath. Anne lied on top of the covers; her modesty only protected by her hair.

“Maybe we should get dressed,” she muttered as Richard rubbed her nipples and nuzzled her neck. “The servants should be in soon.”

“They won’t be,” Richard said softly against her neck. “I have the door bolted.”

“You what?” Anne found that amusing.

“They were told not to come in unless I call.”

Snuggled against him, Anne traced the scars on his chest. “Did I please you last night?”

“You certainly did, although you can use some experience,” Richard said as he brushed her hair aside, revealing that scar on her forehead.

“We are going to do this every night, are we?”

“If I’m not on the road away from you, of course,” Richard said. “Unless you are having your monthly courses or if you are in confinement.”

“When will I see our castle?”

“Soon,” Richard said as he played with her hair. “We leave London today. The travel will be long, but it’d be worth it.”

Anne pulled herself away from Richard, covering her body with crimson sheets. “Perhaps we should get dressed. I’m hungry.”

As she sat on the edge of the bed, she felt Richard was pulling the sheet away from her. She resisted first, but then decided to released the sheet and got off the bed naked altogether. Playfully, she pulled up the bed curtain, dancing around the bed. It was odd; last night, she was shy like a virgin. Yet this morning, she was like a mischievous nymph. Richard watched as her naked form picking up the wrap and her nightshift that somehow fell onto the ground last night.

“Mind if I play your handmaiden this morning?” Richard asked as he wrapped his arms around her. Anne turned and found him already in his breeches and shirt.

“I don’t mind, as long as you can get me dressed on time,” Anne teased, knowing that Richard would take hours to dress her; taking bits of time to examine every inch of her flesh.

“I will,” he said not too genuinely.

Anne gave him a questioning look while handing him her underdress. Just as she expected, soon after Richard put her underdress over her body, he leaned down and pushed down the strap to suck her nipple. Not that she did not enjoy it, but she really want to get ready and eat.

“Richard…please, I need to get dressed.”

Unwillingly, Richard released her breast from his mouth and helped her into her dress. After he laced her dress, he planted one final kiss on the back of her neck. Anne went to her cosmetic table to check herself in the mirror. Her reflection was just perfect.

Anne thanked Richard with a kiss.

Finally, as Richard put on his doublet, their door was unbolted. The maids came in to dress Anne’s hair and the servants came to clear the bed.

Sitting before the mirror, Anne tried suppress her giggle as the maids applied powders over the red marks on her neck and shoulder.

The Duke of Gloucester and his new duchess joined the King for breakfast. The Queen was not feeling well that morning so she was not there. The two brothers laughed and joked like two big boys. Despite her hunger, Anne did not eat much.

***

Squires and servants moved trunks and chests to prepare the Duke of Gloucester’s departure to Middleham. In her cloak, Anne was ready to go with excitement. People were nice to her here, but she felt that the nice faces were merely masks. Even the King, who was so kind to her, made her feels uneasy at times. She was more than happily to go with Richard and act as the lady of their own castle.

Her litter was ready. Anne turned to look back at that castle they stayed. Then, she found a tall, brunette woman looking down at her from the glass window. Her eyes were sad and emotional; her hands pressed against the window. Anne could not help but look back at her.

 _Who is that?_ She wondered.

“Is something a matter?” Richard came to her side and asked.

“That lady,” Anne tilted her head at her direction. “Who is she?”

“Probably a former amour of my brother the King,” Richard whispered evenly. “Feeling abandoned. She should’ve expected that.”

Anne shrugged her shoulder and turned away.

Before she could get on the litter, she saw that lady—the old woman who gave her that potion—standing not too far away from her.

“Hold it,” she raised her hand at the squire who was about to assist her. Quickly, she walked towards that lady, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother to Queen Elizabeth Woodville.

Facing Jacquetta with her head high, Anne said to her, “You warned me about my husband, calling him a monster. But you are proven wrong.”

“You stupid girl!” Jacquetta scorned under her breathe. “You allow him to manipulate you with his deceit!”

“It is you who tried to deceive me!” Anne raised her voice. “You gave me that potion to reveal his true form. And I saw his true form. He’s no monster for he has neither horn nor mole. All I see is a face of an honest prince that any woman could’ve asked for. I don’t know what your intention is, but I like you to stop spreading ill words against my husband to ruin my happy marriage.”

“I?” Jacquetta stared at her in disbelief. “Why would I do that?”

“Do _you_ have a husband?” Anne questioned.

Jacquetta said nothing; her face paled.

“Thought so,” Anne snorted. “You are just a pathetic old widow who has no one to spend the night with, thus you cannot stand to watch as I married a husband of my choice. Now will you excuse me, I have a husband who is waiting for me—my husband who loves me!”

She turned her heels and walked away from her without looking back.

Richard took her hand and assisted her getting into the litter.

Jacquetta watched in anger. _Why did she even bother? With her sharp words and head high—the Neville pride. With Duke of Gloucester by her side, all her Neville pride returned!_

Watching from above, Isabel swallowed her tears. _Oh Anne, my poor sister._

She tried everything she could to save her sister from the hands of that treacherous Duke of Gloucester. Swallowing her pride, she wrote and begged Lady Jacquetta of Rivers, mother to Queen Elizabeth Woodville, to help Anne see the truth. Rumors in court had that she was a witch. Witch or not, as long as she could help Anne see the truth, it was worth it.

But before her eyes, her sister left with Richard.

Her sister looked at Richard with love in her eyes.

Isabel watched until Anne’s litter disappeared.

***

Anne rode in litter while Richard on his horse not too far away from her. He kept her good company; handed her berries and apples he picked along the way. Anne enjoyed the ride, but she envied the good time Richard had on his horse. Suddenly, she had a strong desire to ride.

“Richard!” She called from the litter.

“What is it?” Richard rode aside her litter.

“I want to ride,” Anne replied excitingly. “Give me a horse and we can ride side by side!”

“Out of question!” Richard rebuked. “You stay in the litter.”

“But—“

“No!” Richard reined his horse away from her litter. Anne called after him but got no response.

That night they lodged in an inn. During dinner, Richard sat next to her, but Anne shifted away. She ate very little and spoke nothing. Richard knew that behavior; obviously, she was mad at him. He cut a piece of meat and placed it on her plate.

“You need to eat more,” he said.

In response, Anne threw down her utensils and left the dinner table.

She went to the chamber prepared for her and Richard and asked for bath water. As rest of the group ate downstairs, she bathed herself. By the time Richard came to join her, she was already in bed. Hearing his footsteps, Anne turned away and wrapped herself in the covers.

“Anne…”

Anne ignored him.

“What ails you?” He asked.

Anne said nothing.

“Are you mad at me because I did not allow you to ride?” He asked again.

Finally, Anne turned to face him. “Do you love me, Richard?”

“Of course I do,” Richard almost laughed out loud. “How could you doubt that?”

“Then why did you refused to let me ride with you?”

“Anne, you fell from your horse and lost your memories. I don’t want that to happen again.”

“What could happen with you by my side?” Anne retorted. Then after a moment, she said, “The ladies in court told me that you like girls on horses. They told me that before me, you fell in love with a lady after watching her hunting on a horse. Is that true?”

“Anne, that was before you and I—“

“Is that true?” Anne pressed.

“Yes, but I haven’t seen her for a long time and I will not see her,” Richard said. “Like always, you have such a short temper.”

“Don’t I?” Anne was not apologetic. She rolled her eyes and said, “You had so much fun riding. I felt so alone in that litter.”

“So this is it was all about,” Richard laughed. “How about…you ride me tonight?”

“Ride you?” Anne asked amusingly. “I’m way too old for that!”

In her mind, she pictured Richard on his hands and knees with her sitting on his back.

“No,” Richard shook his head. “I’ll show you.”

He removed his clothes and joined her in bed. “Come here,” he said and guided her to sit on his crotch. She closed her eyes as he slid inside her. Richard lied on his back while Anne slowly moved her hips. Richard tugged her nightshift and pulled it over her head. He then released the ribbon that tied her hair together. She rode him like Lady Godiva.

Anne never felt more alive. Her hand joined his; their fingers intertwined.

Anne started to move faster. She threw back her head and cried out in pleasure.

A moment later, she snuggled against Richard, catching her breath. Richard brushed her hair aside and gently kissed her scar.

“Richard,” Anne whispered.

“Hmm?”

“Have you ever fallen from the horse like me?”

Richard thought for a moment and said, “Yes, I have.”

“What happened?”

“It was years ago when I trained with your father,” he said. “I was on my horse and then suddenly, nuts were thrown at my horse. The horse was alerted and threw me off.”

“Who threw those nuts?” Anne asked.

“You,” Richard tipped her on the nose.

“Was I bad then?”

“You were,” Richard kissed her on the forehead.

“I’m sorry,” Anne kissed him in the chest. “Oh Richard, now come think of it, it’d so horrible that if I fell from the horse again and forget you. I don’t want to. I want to be in your arms, loving you forever.”

She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. Richard, on the other hand, held her and remained awake for the rest of the night.

Before the war, the last words she said to him were, “I’d rather die than be your wife!”

Of course, she was barely thirteen at the time.

It was almost scary if her real memory were to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at writing love scenes. So be kind.
> 
> Keep in mind, Anne had her faults. She was far from a perfect person; so was Richard.
> 
> Comments please!


	12. Chapter 12

After days of waiting, Anne finally saw her castle.

It was larger than she anticipated.

But not an inch of it was familiar to her.

Enchanted by the castle, she remained on the spot for a long time until Richard gently patted her shoulder.

“Come, beloved,” he said as he led her into the courtyard. The squires moved their chests and luggage.

“So we grew up here,” Anne muttered as she looked around. “None of it is familiar to me.”

“Then you must be familiar with it,” Richard said. “Remember, you are the lady of the castle now. You have your duties to attend, especially when I’m not here.”

“When will you not be here?” Anne jokingly asked.

“Tomorrow,” he replied, to Anne’s shock. “I have to leave for York.”

“So soon?” Anne was disappointed. “Can’t you wait for a few more days?”

“I can’t,” Richard said gravely. “Anne, you must remember—when I’m at duty, my heart is for first for the King; then for England. I am your husband, but before that, I am the Constable of England and Lord of North.”

“What am I then?” Anne was not happy to hear that.

“You are the Duchess of Gloucester, Lady of the North,” he replied. “For your role, you must accept my constant absences.”

He picked up her hand and kissed it.

Suddenly, being the wife of a royal duke didn’t seem to be fun anymore.

***

Their first night at Middleham Castle wasn’t easy either. Numerous guests came to greet them. As Lady of the North, Anne stood by her husband throughout the evening; they hardly had any time alone. The hardest part for Anne, however, was when family friends came to see her. In the eyes of these old friends, she was very fortunate that she returned safe and secured a good marriage. They all told her how happy they are to see her again. Yet, in Anne’s eyes, they were only strangers; but for sake of curtsey, she smiled and thanked them.

They did not retire that evening until very late.

Sitting before her cosmetic table, Anne looked at herself and wondered if she could manage the castle herself. Her hair was down; as she brushed her hair, she recalled how Richard loved to release her braids before making love to her. She was shy with him on their wedding night. But now, she couldn’t even think how she can spend the night without him by her side.

As she was lost in her thoughts, Richard came into their bedchamber. Instantly, Anne threw her brush aside and jumped into his arms. After this long evening with so many guests, she craved each moment when they were alone.

That night she was the one on top, the one in control.

After their passionate love-making, Anne lied on her back as Richard rubbed her belly.

It was the first time he done that.

“Do you like my teats?” she whispered.

“Of course,” he replied in a husky voice.

“The ladies from the court, I heard they say that the queen’s teats grew from her pregnancy. Soon, I hope it can happen to me as well.”

“You are fine the way you are.”

Anne was happy to hear that. “Do you like to be on the top or the bottom? If you stay tomorrow, I can let you choose.”

“Anne, you know I cannot do that,” Richard stroked her forehead. “I love you Anne, but do not interfere with my duties.”

Anne said nothing. Her hands went down to touch her belly, hoping a life growing in there.

“Promise me one thing Richard,” she muttered as he gathered her in his arms. “Before you leave, don’t go without saying goodbye.”

“I will.”

***

Richard got up early in the morning to prepare his departure. He was careful not waking Anne, but feeling him not by her side, Anne woke up.

“You are not leaving now, are you?”

“No, but there are things to prepare,” he replied as he got dressed.

Anne threw on her nightshift and got off the bed. She stood by and watched Richard finished dressing, unbolted the door and called in the servants. She got dressed as well; then she had the breakfast prepared. She wanted to enjoy every second with Richard before he leaves.

“How long will you be gone?” She asked.

“Months,” he replied as he ate.

Anne took his hand and asked, “Will you write?”

“I will,” he promised.

After they finished eating, Anne walked Richard to the courtyard to see him off. Richard kissed her hand and departed.

Anne stayed and watched as Richard disappeared in sight. Then, she went up to the castle to watch from the window.

_This castle is not high enough…_

***

With Richard gone, Anne ruled the castle, a place that supposed to be her childhood home. But Anne found nothing familiar and everything old.

She did not like the tapestries or the draperies.

In turn, the first thing she did was to have the entire castle refurnished with new tapestries and draperies and furniture; she also had the castle cleaned. She had everyone in the castle working their butts off. Not a few days went by did the Master Steward asked to see her.

Sitting in Richard’s study—formerly her father’s—Anne was drawing with stacks of papers on the desk.

“Your Grace, I’m afraid—“

“Of what?” Anne kept her eyes on the paper and continued to draw as he spoke.

“The amount of money you spent within only a few weeks,” he hesitated and then continued, “His Grace may not approve.”

“Well I am the Lady of the Castle, everything goes as I say!” Anne said stubbornly. “The Duke would not object to anything! When he comes back, I will surprise him on all these works I done for our new home! The past is the past; this is a new beginning!”

“But you should not tight the funds this soon—“

“Speaking of the funds, I like you to prepare for the funds for the construction of the new tower,” Anne wasn’t even listening to him.

“Tower?” The Master Steward’s eyes widened.

“Yes, the tower!” Anne jumped from her seat and showed the Master Steward her design. “I want this tower built so that when the Duke departs, I can watch and wave him goodbye as he moved further away from our castle. When he returns, I want to be the first one to see him.”

“My lady—“

“Once it’s done, I shall call it ‘Lady’s Tower’,” she said. Then she finally looked at the Master Steward. “Is something a matter, Master Steward?”

Master Steward was speechless.

“I am the Duchess of Gloucester, Lady of the North, aren’t I?” Anne questioned.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Then I say it’s to be done, and it’s to be done.”

“Yes my lady,” Master Steward muttered. He served the Neville household for so long, long enough to know Anne’s temper and behavior. His worst fear, since Anne was a child, was that if one day Anne would become his lady of household after growing up.

Whatever Anne wants, whatever Anne gets.

The only person who could’ve tamed her would be the Duke of Gloucester himself.

But he wasn’t here.

“Oh Master Steward,” Anne called after him when he was about to leave. “I need you to have the gardeners ready.”

“Gardeners?”

“Yes, I redesigned the gardens…” Anne rambled on and on in excitement. Master Steward was completely speechless. He would not even dare to imagine his new lord’s reaction once he saw the bills.

***

The construction of Lady’s Tower began as Anne wanted it.

It was Anne’s project to the heart.

She wanted to watch from the tower as Richard leave for his duties; and she wanted to be the first one to see the sight of his return.

And she had another good reason to build it, for the castle would need more rooms.

She just found out she was pregnant.

In a week after Richard left, Anne felt nauseated in the morning; it was so bad that she vomited. Quickly, the maids and other ladies guessed her condition. After the physician and midwives confirmed her pregnancy, Anne was so happy that she hopped off the bed and started twirling.

She was the duchess; and yet in many ways, she was a still a child.

Quickly, with only a wrap on the shoulders over her night shift, she ran into the study and started to scribe a letter to tell Richard of the exciting news.

_My Beloved Husband,_

_Everything is well here in Middleham. I cannot wait for your return and the happiness from your eyes when you see the work I have done to our home. All I want is for you and I to have a warm, safe haven._

_Everyone in our household has been kind and respectful, except for one._

_This disrespectful subject is kicking me in the belly._

_Your wife,_

_Anne_

Before sealing the letter, she added a few pomegranate seeds.

Holding that letter to her heart, Anne could not wait for Richard to hear the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember, Anne was only fifteen when she married Richard.
> 
> Comments please!


	13. Chapter 13

“Pa..pa…Pa..pa…”

The one year-old toddler, in her mother’s arms, struggled to say “papa” and reached out her arms to her father.

Richard took the small girl and kissed her on the forehead.

She was his very first offspring; her name was Katherine. Behind her mother stood a nanny who cradled a small infant; a son named John.

Grace was happy that Richard finally came to see their children. Yet, seeing his wedding band on his hand, she was quite sad. After all, Richard did tell her that once he was married, then he could not continue their carnal relationship.

She also noticed that Richard hardly paid any attention to her; or at least, he was avoiding her. All his eyes were on their children.

After the nanny took the children away, Richard faced Grace.

“Grace, I…” He could not continue.

“Don’t Richard,” Grace turned away. “I understand.”

“I have arranged a marriage for you with a good man. He was knighted a month ago.”

“And our children?”

“I will take good care of them, I promise you.”

Grace nodded and swallowed her tears. “Thank you Richard.”

“Grace, you are a good woman with a kind heart,” Richard said, trying to comfort her. “I can never love but, but that moment I saw you riding with the King and our passion afterwards…that will always be true.”

Grace forced a smile.

After Richard left, she sank to the ground and wept.

***

Richard’s departure from Middleham was longer than he expected. Soon after he arrived to York, he was summoned to London. Obviously, there was a score to settle. After George and Isabel were released, they were appalled that Richard married Anne and took half of the Neville fortune with him. George demanded that all Neville fortune should go to him since Isabel was older; he also pointed out that Richard’s marriage to Anne is invalid since he never gave Anne’s permission to marry. Isabel, convinced that Richard forced Anne’s hand through manipulation and deceit, stood with George. Duchess Cecily, who favored George among all her sons, took George’s side. King Edward would not want another civil war within the family; but he did not want George to inherit the entire Neville fortune either.

So he summoned Richard to London hoping that they would compromise.

After coming to London, Richard paid Grace a visit. He was married now, but their children were still his. As a righteous man, he arranged a good marriage for Grace and took the custody of their children.

That meeting with the King Edward, George, and Isabel was awkward and intense. Finally, after a long argument back and force between George and Richard, King Edward settled their argument. He had the Neville fortune split in half with George and Richard each a share. To compensate George, Edward bestowed the George the title Earl of Warwick.

The marriage of Anne and Richard remained valid.

Once the matter was settled, Richard left the chamber.

And it was that night he received that letter from Anne. Initially, he was amused by her words. It was not until the pomegranate seeds fell out did he realized what she meant. Heartily, he laughed out loud.

Immediately, he called for the horses to return to Middleham.

***

By the time he returned to Middleham Castle, Anne was already six months pregnant. Her belly, however, was larger than expected; it constantly gave her back pain to the point that she could barely walk without assistance. The Lady’s Tower was still not finished. Master Steward managed to convince her to focus on the Lady’s Tower for now instead of pursuing other projects around the castle. Anne agreed, partially because of her pregnancy.

Everyone in the castle was jubilant after hearing that.

As she was resting in her armchair, she was informed that the Duke has returned.

Quickly, with the assistance of two ladies, Anne pulled herself up and hurried to greet her husband. She had too much exciting things to tell him.

Finally, after a long wait in the courtyard, she spotted his horse. Happily, she waved her handkerchief.

Richard was happy seeing her too. After he got off the horse, he quickly went to her. As she curtsied, he stopped her in midway. His face was full of joy, especially when he saw her belly.

He kissed her hand and greeted her, “My Lady.”

He walked her back to the castle, with one hand supporting her back. Once he entered the castle, Richard not help but noticed the new hanging draperies and furniture.

In fact everything was new.

Walking with him arm in arm, Anne smiled proudly as Richard looked around.

“Is the dinner ready?” Anne asked the servants.

“Yes, my lady,” they replied.

“Come husband, let’s eat,” Anne said with love in her eyes.

***

And the plates, goblets, and utensils were new as well.

“Richard, do you like what I have done for our castle?” Anne asked excitingly.

Richard was silent.

“Everything was so old and used,” Anne explained. “So I thought, instead of reminiscing the past which I cannot, we can use a new beginning. New decorates, new furniture, new beds, new—“

“Did you refurnish the entire castle?” Richard asked.

“Of course!” Anne replied as matter-of-factly. “I also had it cleaned. This will be a new home for us and our child.”

Before Richard could have another bite, Anne signaled the servant, who brought forward her design.

“Look Richard!” Anne happily presented her design of Lady’s Tower to her husband. “What do you think?”

“What is this?” Richard could not be more perplexed.

“This is the new tower to our castle. On that day you left for York, I realized our castle is not high enough; you were out of sight too soon. So, I had the Master Steward arranged to have this tower built. As Lord of North, you will be on the road constantly. With this tower, I watch as you leave and seeing you as you come back to me!”

Richard was speechless.

After he finished his meal, he took Anne’s hand and said, “Sweetheart, I think you need to retire to bed. I will join you soon.”

***

Soon after Anne retired to her bedchamber, Richard went to his study and asked to see the Master Steward.

“The account book,” he said coldly.

Uneasily, the Master Steward handed it to him. After flipping a few pages, Richard threw it on the ground.

“How could you allow this to happen?” He said in anger. “New tapestries, new draperies, new furniture, and a new tower! All in six months! Do you have any idea how much it cost?”

“I tried to explain it to my lady, but she—“

Richard gave him a death glare. Then he spotted more drawings on the desk.

“What is this?” he asked.

“That is the duchess’s design for the new garden,” the Master Steward replied and bowed. “She planned—“

Richard allowed him to say no more.

He closed his eyes and thanked God that King Edward granted him the other half of Neville fortune. Had he not, then Richard would’ve face serious debts and finance troubles.

***

By the time he joined Anne in their bedchamber, Anne was already half-asleep. Pregnancy exhausted her.

Slowly, Richard approached her and planted a kiss between her brows and another one on her bump. Anne’s eyelids moved and she turned to lie on the back.

She opened her eyes and said, “You don’t like my work for our castle?”

Based on his reaction during dinner, Anne could tell he was not happy.

“Sweetheart, I appreciate how you want a new home for us and our child, but you must consider the cost,” Richard said with patience. Seeing her so drowsy and pregnant, he did not have the heart to hurt her feelings.

“Master Steward said there are enough funds,” she replied with her usual stubbornness.

“Yes, but sweetheart, you cannot spend up our money all at once,” he said. “Frankly, I love your ideas and your designs. But one thing at a time.”

Anne pushed herself to sit up and pulled up her nightshift, revealing her belly. She took Richard’s hand and pressed it against her bump.

“Can you feel it? The baby’s kicking,” she blushed.

Richard leaned down and pressed his face against her belly as Anne played with his curls. “The midwife told me something this morning.”

“What did she say?” Richard murmured.

“That I might be carrying two.”

Instantly, Richard raised his head to face Anne. “Two? You mean twins?”

Anne nodded and laughed nervously. “When I was three months along, my sickness was still strong. The midwives said that my belly is much bigger than six months; one of them touched my belly this morning and felt kicking from two sides. So they say that I might be carrying twins.”

Richard touched her face and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. Slowly, he removed her nightshift all together and was besotted by her changed body.

“You’re beautiful, Anne,” he muttered.

Carefully, he made love to her that night. Six months of separation was too long for him, but he did not want to cause any harm to their babies.

As they quietly spooned together afterwards, Richard wondered if Anne could survive the birth. A woman with such a narrow hip and yet to deliver two babies in one birth.

And it would be her first birth as well.

He closed his eyes and caressed her hair with his lips. He took her hand and pressed it against her belly.

It was a long night for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Comments please!


	14. Chapter 14

In his study, Richard busied himself with letters. Physician and midwives confirmed that Anne was indeed carrying twins; they all knew the risks. Lady Joan Beaufort, queen consort of Scottish King James I and a distant cousin to Anne, had give birth to twins decades ago and only one of the twin survived. Other than her, there was no other lady ever gave birth to twins in the York and Neville family prior to Anne. Richard wrote to his mother Duchess Cecily to express his concern; he also wrote to his brother King Edward asking for the most experienced midwives. King Edward was amused and more than happy to oblige. He sent two midwives; both delivered twins. Duchess Cecily was pleased to hear the news as well; in her letters, she gleefully mentioned Isabel's pregnancy and the Queen's. 

By now, Anne was confined to bed. Her feet were completely swollen; her belly was so huge that she could barely stand. Her days were spent with boredom. With nothing to do, she asked for the account book to see exactly how much money she spent so far on the castle. The accounts only confused her, but she did see that she spent quite a grand sum. When the midwife and the maids caught her reviewing the account book, they quickly stopped her saying that it was not good for her eyes and for the babies. Being confined to bed with nothing to do, Anne could not wait for the confinement to be over.

But she was afraid as well. A young woman at sixteen, she was short and slender. From time to time, she lifted up her cover and saw that her belly seemed to be bigger than her whole body. 

How could she push out two babies from her small body?

Rubbing her belly, she tried to calm herself. After a few moment of discomfort, she asked to see Richard.

Within a few minutes, Richard came to her side.

Anne smiled weakly at him as he sat beside her.

"What is it?" he asked with concern.

"Richard, I'm scared," she confessed.

"I know," Richard replied with understanding. Rubbing her belly, Richard comforted her. "We have the best midwives; they can help you. Everything will be all right."

"Really?" 

"Yes," he said as he played with her braids.

"How many children does your mother have?" she asked.

"Ten," Richard replied.

"And the Queen?"

"Eight."

"Eight?" Anne was surprised to hear that.

"Yes, eight. Two with her first husband and six with the King."

Then Anne remembered something. "I remember seeing her at our wedding festival. She was heavily pregnant then."

"She was."

"She had her baby by now, right?"

"Yes," Richard replied rather gravely.

"What happened?" Anne asked, noticed his tone of voice.

"The Queen's baby came early," Richard told her. "It was a boy and did not live long. Her mother died on the same day as well. The Queen was heart-broken for losing two people she loved."

"That's horrible," Anne said with sympathy. "Her mother, what was she like?"

"Lady Jacquetta of Rivers; a tall, beautiful, remarkable woman," Richard said honestly. "She had been loyal to my brother the King. She had been good to all her children."

"How many children does Lady Jacquetta have?"

"Fourteen."

Anne laughed at these numbers. Ten, eight, and fourteen.

"We Yorks like to make a big family," Richard said. "And we start with two within a year."

"My sister, does she have children?"

"Your sister Isabel has two. One died at birth and the other is on his way."

"And my mother?"

"Two. Your sister Isabel and you."

The fertility of Neville women certainly paled when compared to the King's family.

"Richard, when I'm giving birth, will you be at my side?" Anne asked while holding his hand.

After a long moment, Richard replied, "No."

"Why not?" Anne was disappointed.

"Because this is women's matter," Richard told her. "As Duchess of Gloucester, you must bear the pain bravely with midwives by your sides. Men are not allowed when you give birth. But I will not be far away; I will stay within the earshot."

Anne nodded. "My mother, have you hear anything from her yet? She is still in sanctuary isn't she?"

"She is."

"Then can you bring her here? What is she doing in that sanctuary? Can she come here?"

"She can, but—"

"But what?"

With patience, Richard explained, "Anne, during the war your family was split up. I was in the battlefield and your father was killed. At the time, you were with your mother; but she abandoned you and sought sanctuary herself."

"She is still my mother, isn't she?" Anne muttered. "We are not in a war now and I am about to give birth. I need her and I want her to be by my side, if you are not."

Richard was silent.

"Please Richard?" Anne pleaded. "I can't face this all alone surrounded by strangers. The past is the past."

Taking a deep breath, Richard finally said, "I will do what I can, but I cannot promise you anything. I love you Anne but your mother, she has her ways."

"I'm sure she will come," Anne said while stroking her belly. "If my children were in any danger, then I would give my life for them."

Richard said nothing to that.

Suddenly, Anne scolded her babies, "Stop this now!"

Richard laughed. "Are they kicking you?"

"No," Anne acted as a stern mother. "One is kicking the other."

"Now, now lads," Richard gently touched her belly.

Her belly was high; and based on the shape of her face and of her body, the midwives insisted at least one of the babies is a boy. King Edward had six children with the Queen so far but with only one boy; George and Isabel's first born was a boy but it was a stillbirth; their second child may be a boy or a girl. As for Anne, if she were to have two boys in her first birth, then the faces of the Queen and George would be green with envy.

***

After writing to Countess of Warwick at Beaulieu Abby, Richard received her reply.

Sadly, it was not what Anne had expected.

When writing to his mother-in-law, Richard described Anne's condition and what she had been through during the war. He had petitioned for her release, he said in his letter. Unlike George and Isabel, he would take her in under the condition that she's not allowed to do or say anything that upsets Anne. He also reminded the Countess of her current status - a widow of a traitor without an acre of land.  Furthermore, he emphasized that Anne's willingness to have her back in the castle was her blessing. 

The Countess's reply was cold and cruel. She cursed her two "ungrateful daughters" and "greedy son-in-laws" who stole her land and money. She was more than happy to hear about Anne's current condition, hoping that her daughter would learn the painful process that the she went through to bring her into this world. 

However, soon the Countess seemed to regret her words for she sent another letter, apologizing. Perhaps she knew that she'd be better off living as the mother-in-law to the Duke of Gloucester than living in an abbey as a prisoner.

And she was on her way.

Richard reminded her in his previous letters that if she dares to hurt Anne in anyway, he will not forgive.

*** 

When Richard informed Anne that her mother would be here to attend her birth, Anne’s face was radiant. Now she could breathe more easily.

That night, she lied in bed with her eyes half-closed and Richard rubbed her back. She took his hand and held it close to her lips.

“Richard…”

“Hmm?”

“I just want to say how fortunate I am to have you as my husband,” Anne said. “You are so good to me.”

“Don’t say that,” Richard said. “You’re saying this as if death is approaching.”

“I might die in childbirth.”

“You will not,” Richard insisted. “Soon, we will have two handsome boys running around.”

“Two boys,” Anne closed her eyes. “What if one of them is a girl? Or both are girls?”

“Then we will love them and make good marriages for them.”

“What should we name our children?”

“We can wait after their birth.”

“When will my mother come?”

“Soon. I’m sure she will be here by the time you give birth.”

“That’d be one month away,” Anne murmured. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain and gasped.

“What is it?” Richard asked.

“It…it hurts,” Anne said, her eyes are now open. “My back…the pain comes from there, I think.”

Richard rubbed her back and Anne groaned. Then she felt something wet.

“I…I think I may have wet the bed…”

Hearing that, Richard lifted her cover. Immediately, he sent for the midwives.

Anne was about to give birth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I want to make my fic as historically realistic as possible, so be kind.
> 
> Delivering twins in Middle Ages was difficult; results were mostly mother dies in childbirth or only one of the twins live. The worst case was the one of Catherine de Medici, Queen of France. Her last two children were twin girls. One of them died in womb and had to had her leg broken to be removed from the womb; the other one only lived for one day. Fortunately, the Queen survived but she could not give birth again. 
> 
> Lady Joan Beaufort survived and had more children after delivering her twins, with one of them died after birth. 
> 
> The only other royal woman who had twins was Mary, Queen of Scots who miscarried her twin daughters (father was Boswell) prior to her forced abdication.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me. 
> 
> But comments please!

Piercing screams and cries echoed throughout the halls.

In her lying-in chamber, with no natural light, Anne's body was racked with waves of pain. The birth of her babies came early, to which the midwives confirmed to be common among women bearing twins. The pain, however, was so brutal that Anne lost conscious from time to time, only to be brought back by another wave of pain. The midwives had the maids spread the herbs on the ground, hoping that the scents can ease her pain. Wiping her brows, the midwives whispered encouraging words in her ear. But each time when Anne could say anything, she mumbled Richard's name.

She wanted him to be by her side.

Everyone in the chamber was a stranger to her. Her mother, Countess of Warwick, was supposed to be here. Unfortunately, because the birth occurred earlier than anticipated, the Countess was still on the road.

Meanwhile, Richard knelt at the prie-dieu and prayed gravely. He could hear Anne's cries, which were sharp like daggers stabbing into his heart. 

In London, Queen Elizabeth had her baby early and the baby died soon after. During the war, Isabel gave birth on the ship and she had a stillbirth. 

Richard did not witness either. In his mind, however, he feared for Anne. He almost forgot that his own mother gave birth ten times and all her children survived to childhood. 

He counted the beads of his rosary. Closed his eyes, he counted the hours since Anne went to labor.

1...2...3...4...

5...6...7...8...

He continued until he counted to 24.

He refused to eat or rest.

He may not be at Anne's side, but his heart was with her.

***

The labor lasted longer than a day, so far.

By now, Anne was exhausted with sweat all over her body. Her hair was wet and loose. Her face was pale and her lips were bruised from her biting. The midwives placed a piece of wood between her teeth so that she would not bite her tongue. The pain was intense, but so far, no baby.

Oils, wines, herbs - the midwives used all the craft they learned. Yet, nothing seemed to alleviate Anne's suffering. 

Richard had ordered every man and woman in the castle to pray on their knees for the life of his duchess.

As he continued in his prayer, he heard a knock on his door. Immediately, he ordered the door to be opened. It was the midwife; she was still wiping blood from her hand using her apron.

"Your Grace," she bowed anxiously.

"How is my wife?"

"We need to summon a physician," the midwife replied with her hands shaking. "If this were to continue on, I'm afraid all three lives will be at stake."

Richard nodded. Before the midwife could leave, he untied the chain of that silver cross he wore on his neck since the day his father Richard Duke of York died in battlefield. It was a gift from his mother.

"Take this and place it on the Duchess," he ordered gravely.

That silver cross that protected his body and soul for more than ten years. Richard hoped that it'd do the same for Anne.

***

Childbirth was usually a matter handled by women. Physicians only summoned, and rarely, if life of the mother was threatened. 

The labor lasted for almost two days now. To the horrors of the midwives, only one arm came out. 

The physician and a midwife swiftly came to Richard. The physician knelt on the ground on both knees and spoke, "Your Grace, if we allow this to continue, then all three lives will be lost. The choice is yours, Your Grace."

He bowed his head very low.

"Save the Duchess!" Richard ordered without a hesitation. He could not sacrifice Anne for anything.

"Then we must sacrifice one child," the physician replied.

After a long moment of silence, Richard nodded his head.

As the physician left with the midwife, Richard fell on his knees and clutched on to the rosary and his prayer book. 

_Lord, forgive me for I have sinned. I have killed and lied. Punish me for my sins but spare Anne. I am more than willing to suffer the cruelest death to exchange for Anne's life!_

He also prayed for his son's soul - that helpless little life he will never know. Anne might hate him for allowing this, but a choice had to be made. 

Edmund...the name came to his mind. 

Richard had a brother named Edmund who was killed by the Lancastrians. He prayed that his brother Edmund will guide his son's soul to the heaven. 

***

Anne's vision was blurred. The pain was so intense that she could cry out no more. She was in a limbo.

When the midwife placed Richard's silver cross on her neck, she made no response.

She only wanted this to be over.

Soon, the physician returned with a few strong women behind him. The women held her down and the physician approached her. Anne's body was consumed by fear when she saw the physician, as if he was a demon. 

_No...no...no..._

Perhaps it was a mother's instinct that she knew what the physician was up to. She forced her eyes to open and looked at the physician pleadingly. 

The physician, however, was cold as an executioner. Ignoring Anne's silent plea, he done his work. Even with their years of experience, the midwives covered their eyes with their bloodied aprons. The maids closed their eyes in fear. Anne's arms struggled against the holdings. But it was no use.

The work was done.

The child's arm was removed. With their shaking hands, the midwives rubbed and pushed her belly as Anne's eyes filled with tears. Despite her lack of energy, she cried and cried.

A moment later, the midwives saw the baby's head. Another moment later, a tiny baby came out; it was a boy. His entire body was blue, covered with blood-that of his mother and of his own. He was barely breathing, but not for long. Perhaps it was a blessing for him.

The second child had not arrived yet. Anne's eyes were on her first born; she watched as the midwives wrapped him in a bundle. Soon he was out of sight.

Anne completely lost touch. As pain and grief consumed her, she was like a ragged doll controlled by the midwives. She did not resist as they turned her on her knees, nor did she cry out when more waves of pain racked her body. 

"It's done!" The midwife cried out.

The second baby arrived, another boy; he had yet to make a single sound. Everyone in the lying-in chamber prayed as the midwives cut his umbilical cord.

Finally, the little boy cried out. Initially, the crying was thin like a cat; however, then the cries became stronger and stronger.

The midwives sighed in relief.

***

The loud, strong cries of a baby reached to Anne's ear. Slowly, she came to her vision.

That cry was a sound like no other. It was loud and clear that Anne felt as if she wakes up from a long sleep.

She was tired, for her life had been a long journey; or at least it seemed to be.  

The images of the past came to her like waves of madness. 

_King Edward introduced his beautiful new Queen..._

_Her father fell out with the King..._

_Her father suggested her betrothal to Richard Duke of Gloucester, but was rejected..._

_That horrifying experience on the ship...Isabel gave birth to a dead child...the tiny body threw into the sea..._

_Her marriage to Edward of Lancaster...and the pain afterwards..._

_Her last confrontation with her father...and her husband...and her mother-in-law...she was unkind to all of them..._

_Tewkesbury...rains of arrows...horses..._

And then...and then what?

As her eyes started to open, she heard voices. 

"Lady Anne! Oh thanks God!"

Finding her voice, Anne replied in confusion, "Princess...I'm Princess Anne..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter brought a lot of disappointment and grief to many readers. But partially I did this to emphasize the harshness of childbirth during Middle Ages. Unlike today, where most women deliver babies in hospitals assisted by nurses and doctors, most women had their children at home during Middle Ages. For a woman like Lady Anne Neville (a royal duchess), she delivered her baby in her castle's lying-in chamber. The chamber was prepared for such event - sealed with no natural light, herbs spread on the ground, tapestries hanging on the wall. The midwives learned their craft from their mothers who were midwives before them; it's either that or their experience. Physicians (were all men) were not summoned unless the life of mother was threatened. C-section was possible then, but that's also death penalty for the mother. 
> 
> Historically Lady Anne Neville only had one child; but it was possible that she had other failed pregnancies. In "Sunne in Splendour", Anne had other miscarriages; in Sandra Worth's series Anne had miscarriages prior to having Ned and the birth of Ned was very difficult; in "The Seventh Son", Anne had another boy prior to Ned and the child did not live long. In TWQ/KMD, Anne only had one pregnancy and was quite frustrated that she did not conceive again.
> 
> Whatever the truth, I find it a little unfair that the series (especially the TV adaption) focused so much on Elizabeth Woodville's childbirth (a lot of them quite unrealistic too). I'm sure Anne endured a lot too. 
> 
> You might not like what Richard did in this chapter; however he was much more considerate than both his brothers in comparison.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the last chapter caused some disturbance and heart-breaking, but I hope this chapter can make you feel better.

"Princess...I'm princess Anne..." She murmured almost inaudibly while lying weakly in her bed. She was so weak that she could barely lift her hand; and her vaginal area was sore. 

"Lady Anne!" The midwives and the ladies looked at her bewildered. "What are you saying?"

Anne tried hard to keep her eyes open and looked around. Nothing looked familiar, but the surrounding felt strangely so. 

"Would you like to see your son, my lady?" The midwife approached. Based on her experience, it was not uncommon that new mothers say strange things after giving birth, especially a long and arduous one.

"Son? I have a son?" Anne talked as if she was dreaming.

_I don't have any children...I was not even expecting...Isabel...Isabel had a son! There must be some misunderstanding!_

"Yes, my lady!" The midwife insisted as she approached her with a small baby in her arms. "He's here."

Anne blinked and looked at the tiny baby in the bundle. He was small, even for a baby; his face was red; he had hair and it was black. 

_But no...Isabel's son did not survive! We were on this ship...and I delivered the child with Lady Mother...the poor child was thrown into the deep dark sea..._

_Poor Isabel..._

"This...this is my baby?" Anne asked with her lips quivering. "Mine?"

"Yes, Your Grace," the midwife replied.

Anne looked at everyone in the chambers, confused. "How? When?"

Seeing her so confused and frightened, the midwife used the tactic that usually calmed the new mothers. She guided the baby against her bare breasts; and instantly, the baby suckled her breasts. "He is your son, you see?"

"Where...where am I?" Anne asked.

"You are in Middleham Castle my lady," one of the maids answered. "This is your home."

_Home..._

_So this is my son...but his father..._

The thought of her child's father brought shivers all over her body. "My husband..."

"He will be here soon," the wet nurse comforted her as she took the baby away from her. "You gave him quite a scare."

"He...he cared for me?" Anne could not believe her ears. Edward of Lancaster was the last person who cared for her living.

"Of course he does!" The midwife was shocked to hear that. "His Grace was on his knees to pray for your life for almost two days! Refused to eat or to rest! I never saw any man who cared so much for his wife!"

"His Grace..."

"The Duke of Gloucester!" The maids reminded her. "My lady, please clear your mind. His Grace has been informed and he will be here soon to see you."

Within a few seconds, Anne saw a man barged into her bedchamber. Instantly, she recognized that face. 

Richard, that boy who chased her, kicked her, and pulled her hair...

He grew taller now; and his hair grew out.

His eyes were hallowing with dark rings; his face was pale.

Anne looked down at her hand and saw that ring on her finger. It was a different one, not the one she exchanged with Edward of Lancaster.

Looking back at Richard again, suddenly, the memories came back to her. 

Yes, she was thrown off her horse during the war and then she woke up at a sanctuary. A young man brought her there, the nuns told her. That young man turned out to be the King's younger brother, Richard the Duke of Gloucester. He told her that they were married before the war and was separated. He asked her to marry him again.

And she did, after the King had her bring to court and choose her own husband.

And she chose him - Richard.

They were married with a grand festival. They made love that night, and the night after, and the night after.

He brought her back here and left for his duties the day after.

After he was gone, she refurnished the castle and had a tower built. She did all this to start a new life with him.

And then she was pregnant, with twins. She begged him to allow her mother to return by her side because she was scared.

And then the birth...

She was having two babies, but so far only one before her eyes. The images of childbirth returned to her. 

Her other child...and that cold, evil physician!

All types of emotions consumed her: anger, sadness, confusion, desperation...

Looking at Richard again, she recalled what the midwife told her. He probably did cared for her, or at least scared for her.

She, Lady Anne Neville, was now married to Richard, the Duke of Gloucester. She was living at her childhood home, Middleham Castle with him. And they had two babies together; one died and one lived.

After a long moment of silence, she shrieked, "Get out! All of you! Out of my sight!"

Her behavior shocked everyone in the chamber, including Richard. By her reaction and her eyes, Richard guessed the likelihood of her regaining her memories. Those eyes – they were the same as she looked at him when he lost his temper with her years ago.

Richard nodded and the maids and midwives left the chamber. The only one remained was the wet nurse holding their son, whom Richard named Edward after his brother the King.

***

After everyone left, Anne looked at Richard again as tears filled her eyes. Choking, she fell on the pillows and started crying uncontrollably. She had too many things to cry for, but she did not know where to begin. All her life, she thought she was the most fortunate child. Her father, Earl of Warwick, held the highest position in the court. With no brother, she and Isabel were the only heiresses of the massive Neville-Beauchamp fortune. Marrying up or down, Anne was certainly not going to be a maiden without suitors. As she growing up, the nannies and the ladies all commented how pretty she became. Spoiled and headstrong, Anne was a difficult child who sees herself above anything else. Her father had suggested the betrothal between her and Richard since the first day he came to train at Middleham.

Anne was not happy to hear that.

In her eyes, Prince Richard was short and unattractive, particularly compared to his brothers. The youngest son of the York, what could he have to offer her? Obviously, he would marry her for her fortune and her father's power. Thus, Anne often treated Richard with condescendence. Richard was rather polite and patient with her, which only fumed her anger at him. Until one day Richard lost his temper and chased her down. He pounded her and pulled her hair. It only occurred once or twice, but Anne cried about it so often that Isabel was convinced that Richard picked on her all the time.

But God did answer her prayer. The marriage between Anne and Richard did not happen.

Instead, she was betrothed to Edward of Lancaster.

It was then she realized that she was only  a pawn of her father's. A pawn for power. And a pawn for bargain that her father had lost.

After the Lancastrians lost their cause, in her deep sleep mode, she was like an object fought over by the York brothers.

And Richard won.

Like a fool, she thought he was a prince-charming who loved her.

Until now, she finally realized that she was perhaps the most humiliated and ridiculed women in England. With no sense of self and the worst of all, no one who truly loves her.

"Anne..." Richard said gently as he sat next to her. As soon as he touched her, Anne sat up and started to throw fists at him.

"You liar! You deceit! You tricked me!"

Initially, Richard allowed her to vent. However, her actions disturbed the tiny infant, who started to cry in fear. Holding Anne down, Richard ordered the wet nurse to take their son away.

Anne cried and screamed until she was exhausted.

"You feel better now?" Richard said evenly after she calmed down, or seemed to be.

"Go..." Anne whispered in anger. "Get out..."

Swiftly, Richard left the chamber and shut the door behind him.

Anne was left all alone. She wrapped herself under the cover and cried herself to sleep.

***

She did not see her son until the day of her son's baptism. After she was well enough to leave bed, Anne’s tantrums became worse and worse. She grabbed anything she could and smashed it into pieces, on the ground or against the wall. The servants and Master Steward listened and watched fearfully. Richard, on the other hand, ignored it. However, he ordered the maids, nannies, and the wet nurse to bar Anne’s access to their son.

In response, Anne barged into his study and cursed at him.

“How dare you deny me access to my own child?”

Richard replied evenly, “He is our child, Anne. My son and my flesh and blood. As his father, I must protect him.”

“Protect him for what? I am his mother!”

“Look at you,” Richard said and stood. “Do you behave like a mother? You are like a mad woman.”

Anne was silenced.

“Until you know how to behave yourself, I cannot let you anywhere near my son, _our_ son,” Richard insisted. After a sigh, he continued, “His baptism will be tomorrow. If you behave yourself, you’ll see him then.”

Calmly, Anne left his study.

The next day, their little boy was baptized in his father's arms. Anne stood by her husband, wordlessly.

The child was named Edward, as Richard wanted it.

After the baptism, Anne reached out her arms to hold her son. After a moment of hesitation, Richard carefully placed his son into the arms of his mother. Holding her son, Anne placed a kiss on his forehead. Then she looked at Richard and muttered, "I want to see my other child."

Richard nodded and led her to the other side of the chapel. Before them was a small coffin.

"I want to be alone with my boys," she said quietly with tears in her eyes. 

Richard walked away without a sound.

Anne stood before one son's coffin while holding the other. Her dead child was named Edmund, after Richard's brother the deceased Earl of Rutland. Edmund was not born dead; he was sacrificed for the life of his brother and mother.

_Poor Edmund, being sacrificed...just like me, being sacrificed by my own father for the sake of his alliance..._

Anne stood there for a long time until a cloak was placed on her shoulders.

"Come Anne, we must go," Richard said behind her while kissed her gently on the neck.

Anne did not resist. Obediently, she followed Richard back into the castle.

Like it or not, she must accept where she was now. She was living at home in Middleham Castle; Richard was her husband and the father of her son. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anne's mother Countess of Warwick will be in the next chapter. She will play a twist as well.


	17. Chapter 17

The Countess of Warwick came soon after little Edward's baptism, much to Anne's chagrin. She still had yet forgiven her mother.

The Countess married Earl of Warwick at a very young age; she was three-years older than her husband. Unlike her Neville cousins who had large brood of children, the Countess only had two daughters. When Warwick fell out with King Edward, both her daughters were used as pawns for Warwick's bargain; one with House of York and one with House of Lancaster. When Anne was married to Edward of Lancaster, the Countess stood by her husband's decision and cared a little about Anne's feelings. Yet, the cruelest thing she done was abandoning Anne to the hands of Margaret of Anjou and took the sanctuary herself, completely disregarded Anne's safety. Had she taken Anne with her, then Anne would've avoided that horrible incident at Tewkesbury.  

Anne had yet forgotten her mother's last words to her before leaving her behind with the Lancasters. Now a mother herself, Anne could not even imagine leaving her own precious son into the hands of an enemy. She was not happy to see her mother, nor was she happy that Richard brought her here. Then again, it was Anne who begged Richard to do so.

After little Edward, nicknamed Ned, was baptized, Anne spent most of her days at the nursery. She wanted to nurse her child, but she did not have enough milk so the wet nurse took care of that. She avoided Richard, not because she was angry with him. Rather, it was because she was afraid of him.

All three York brothers - Edward, George, and Richard – were proven cruel, deceitful, and manipulative. King Edward defeated her father and brought her family to ruin; George was a natural-born turncoat who betrayed her family; and Richard, who lied to her and tricked her into marrying him to get her fortune. Anne reminisced the time when he showed her their "charred marriage certificate". Soon, she was able to connect the dots and related to the incident when the house of Sir Richard Byron was burnt down. Richard was still kind to her, but for how long?

In comparison, Edward of Lancaster was much gentler. True, he could be quite monstrous at times; but at least he was more honest. Thinking back, Anne could only admit that the only person close to her who never lied to her or betrayed her was her infant son. 

When the Countess arrived, Anne was still sleeping. She came to the nursery to see her son as usual, but only found her mother standing by the crib. 

"Stay away!" Anne ordered. She rushed to the crib and picked up her son, holding him protectively. 

"Why daughter? Aren't you not happy to see your own mother?" The Countess asked coldly.

Anne stared at her hatefully. She refused to say anything to her. The silence was only broken by Ned's crying. 

"I like to hold my grandson," the Countess said and reaching out her arms.

Anne refused and handed Ned to his wet nurse instead. Finding her strength and courage, she dragged the Countess out of the nursery and warned, "You stay away from my child! Or I have you locked up!"

She then ordered the servants and the nannies to bar the Countess' access to the nursery.

***

It rained heavily with loud thunders and lightening during the Countess' first night returned to Middleham Castle. Anne could not stop thinking about that night on the ship where Isabel gave birth to a stillborn son. Trembling, she threw on her wrap and sauntered to Richard's chamber. As much she hated to admit, Richard was the only person who can make her feel safe during such hours. 

She found Richard lying on his bed, wide awake. As he saw her, he lifted up the covers and shifted to one side to make room for her. Anne dropped her wrap and climbed in bed next to him. She allowed him to gather her into his arms, but her back was to him. She closed her eyes as she felt Richard's lips caressing her neck, her shoulder, and then her arm. She tried to ignore it at first, but then found herself unable to resist him. So she turned to face him, allowing him to kiss her on the lip while pulling the strap of her nightshift down. His lips travelled down to her belly and then lower, and lower...

It was something he never done before, but nevertheless, it gave her pleasure. 

After their love-making, Anne lied on her back and stared at the ceiling. In the past, she used to snuggle to Richard and bury her face into his chest. Now, instead of a passionate lover, she was a wife only done her marital duties.

"Did Ned do that?" Richard asked as he noticed a mark on her breast.

"He did," Anne said evenly. "I want to nurse him, but I don't have much milk. The wet nurse took care of that now."

Richard stroked the mark and then kissed it. 

"I found my mother with Ned this morning," Anne said. 

"You are not happy," Richard commented. 

"No," Anne admitted. "She was never a mother to me. She failed to be there for me when I needed her the most. During the war, she left me with the Bad Queen. She knew I was expecting two children, but delayed her arrival purposely. Now she is here when I need her the least."

"You don't have to see her," Richard said.

"Send her back," Anne said. "I don't want her to be anywhere near my child."

Richard said nothing. 

***

To Anne's disappointment, the Countess remained at Middleham Castle with no preparation of leaving. 

"Why are you still here?" Anne demanded after coming to her quarters. She felt it was a confrontation long overdue. 

"This is my castle; why shouldn't I be?" The Countess replied nonchalantly.

"This is not your castle anymore!" Anne spat. "You are only here because I asked for it, when I lost my memories of the indecent past! I asked you to be here because I was bearing two children in one birth! I was scared! And you purposely delayed your departure from the sanctuary so I could give birth alone! You are no mother to me! Or to Isabel!"

"How dare you speak to me like that?" The Countess stood, angered. "You are my daughter and always will be—"

"You mean your pawn to bargain your way out!" Anne snapped. "Don't even think about it. You lost, we lost. Isabel is now married to George, whether she is happy or not. I am here married to Richard, whether I want to or not. For you, it's either here, the sanctuary, or death. And you are not welcome here."

She turned to leave but the Countess stopped her. "It's not whether you wanted it, it is all his say." She meant Richard.

The Countess looked at her with ridicule. "You think you are the new mistress of this castle, adored by your husband? You know what kind of man your husband is. He may be more loyal than George, but he is just as manipulative."

"Keep your mouth shut!" Anne said angrily. Surprisingly, she was defending Richard. "You are not going to talk about my husband that way. Whatever he is, he is the father of my child."

"You are willing to raise a child with such a father?" The Countess laughed at her face. "Tell me, are you that sure when time comes, your husband will not sacrifice your child any less than your father done with you?"

Anne was tongue-tied.

_Sacrificing his own child...Richard did that with Edmund, but it was to save her..._

"Richard may have his fault, but he loves me," Anne insisted, but by her tone, the Countess could tell that Anne was trying to convince herself.

"Does he?" The Countess snarled. "If he loves you, then he should've tell you about his two bastards who now live in York under his care."

Anne faced the Countess in disbelief.

"Two children, a son and a daughter," the Countess continued mercilessly. "He is caring for them, using your fortune, _our_ fortune. Did he not tell you that in order for you to inherit this fortune, he had me declared dead?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am here before you, living. But in the eyes of law and Parliament, I am dead as that Lancastrian King Henry," The Countess muttered bitterly. "How would you know that he will not do that to you? One day, he would abandon you, declare you dead, and take all your fortune with him."

"He will not do that!" Anne insisted. "We married in a grand festival before the eyes of the King-"

"Oh really?" The Countess rolled her eyes. "How did you agree to marry him? You lost your memory then, didn't you? He used honest approach to have you married him?"

Anne was speechless. Yes, Richard had lied to her. He tricked her to believe that they were married; and that he was a faithful husband who cared for her.

After a long while, the Countess came closer to her and pulled her into her arms. "Oh Anne, my child. Forgive your mother. I was scared like you. But as women, what choice do we have?"

Anne hugged her mother back.

***

After their "confrontation", Anne seemed to forgive her mother. She still kept a formal distance from Richard; she did not ask him about his bastard children. Oddly, she behaved like a typical wife of a royal prince - dutiful and quiet.

"The King has summoned me to Court," Richard told her during dinner.

"When will you be leaving?" Anne asked.

"As soon as you agree to come with me," Richard replied.

"You want me to come with you?" Anne was surprised to hear that.

"Of course, you are my duchess. Your sister just gave birth to a daughter; I am sure that you are willing to see her," Richard looked at her and saw her indecisiveness. "Are you worrying about Ned? He is thriving and he has his nannies to take care of him. Your mother is here as well."

Hearing that Anne nodded, "I would like to see Isabel very much."

Richard placed his hand on hers. "Would you like to keep me company tonight?"

Anne nodded; and she was blushing.

***

As Anne and Richard prepared for their departure, the Countess asked to see Anne.

"Take this," The Countess whispered and placed a document in her hand. 

"What is this?" Anne asked.

"This is a petition I drafted in your name," the Countess told her. "It will do you good. You will be separated from him, have your fortune back and we can live our lives in peace."

"No!" Anne refused. "I cannot do that to Ned! He needs his father!"

"Don't be stupid!" The Countess refused to back down. "Sooner or later, people will know that your marriage to Gloucester is not valid! He played you! Used you to gain our fortune. Tell that to the King! Have your invalid marriage dissolved and have your fortune back."

"No! I will not have Ned declared a bastard!"

"Anne, can't you see? Sometimes it is safer to be a bastard child! Look at the legitimate sons! How many of them lived a safe life?" The Countess stood her ground. "Your son is so small for his age. You think he can endure what you had been through? How long do you think he can last when in the battlefield?"

Anne froze.

"Take this," The Countess placed the folded document into her bodice. "It will save you. When it is done, you can come back to me. I promise you, I will not abandon you again. I cannot save Isabel, but I can save you."

That day Anne left with Richard with that petition in her pocket.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am keeping the PG's version of Countess of Warwick.
> 
> Comments please!


	18. Chapter 18

When they arrived London, Anne stepped out from the litter and looked around. The Windsor Castle was much larger than the Middleham Castle, but it only gave her a feeling of gloomy and darkness. In her heart, Anne hoped that they would not stay for long. But she was more than excited to see Isabel. Her mother's petition, which drafted in her name, was still inside her bodice against her heart. She was not so sure if she wanted to use it.

On one hand, Richard had been dishonest with her in many ways and was not an easy man to deal with; on the other hand, he had been good to her and to their son.

With all these thoughts in mind, Anne wordlessly stared at the ground.

"What is it?" Richard asked, taking her hand in his.

"I...I'm thinking about Ned. He could be crying now, missing his mother," Anne excused herself. 

"Ned will be fine," Richard assured her. "He will have to learn to be apart from his mother sooner or later."

"But leaving him with my mother, it could be a mistake!" That was a true worry from her heart.

"The Countess would not harm Ned, I am sure of it," Richard said. "We may not agree with the Countess in many things, but Ned is her very own grandson."

In her mind, Anne reminisced that moment when her mother abandoned her with the Bad Queen Margaret of Anjou; now she left her own child in the hand of her mother, who was no better than the Bad Queen.

"Ned is teething now, and he has trouble sleeping...He can't sleep without his mother-"

"Anne, stop," Richard said. "Ned will be fine. When I was young, I was small and sick. But I survived and grew up a fierce warrior in the battlefield. You need to stop worrying about him, let him grow."

Anne was silent.

"Would you like to go see your sister?" Richard changed the subject.

"I would like to, very much," Anne nodded. Maybe she could talk to her sister about her worries. 

Before she could go, Richard grabbed her by the arm, and whispered, "Remember, this is London. You must be careful with each word you say and each step you take. This is not Middleham; you are here as Duchess of Gloucester. When you see George, the Queen, and the Woodvilles, you must behave yourself."

Anne nodded.

***

The reunion between the Neville sisters was an emotional one. Both Isabel and Anne came close being Queen of England; and both lost. Both had secured an unhappy marriage. Things were better now, at least for Anne. Isabel conceived again; unfortunately, the baby was a girl. George adored his daughter, whom he named Margaret. Yet, it was clear that a son was needed. Isabel envied Anne's luck, for having two children in one birth and both boys. However, after the midwives - the ones who attended Anne's childbirth and then attended Isabel's - informed Isabel of Anne's suffering, Isabel pitied her sister. 

All they could say to each other was how happy that they are with where they are now. Royal duchesses, not daughters of a traitor.

"How is Richard to you?" Isabel asked, watching Anne holding Margaret.

"He...he is my husband," Anne managed to say. "And George?"

"The same," Isabel murmured. "I heard that mother is living with you."

"My stupidity," Anne shook her head. "When the midwives told me that I was bearing twins, I was so scared. I beseeched Richard to bring her to Middleham. Mother, as usual, delayed her departure on purpose so I had the babies alone."

Isabel paused for a moment, and then said, "Richard had been so good to you."

"What?" Anne was surprised to hear that. "Since when you started to like Richard?"

Growing up together at Middleham, Anne cried to Isabel about how Richard bullied her. Unlike their father, Isabel took Anne's side.

"Annie, look at you. You have been through so much. But now, you are Duchess of Gloucester, living at our childhood home; a mother to a son. Richard treated you so well, I can see that."

Anne bit her lips. "He lied to me. At Tewkesbury, I fell from my horse and lost my memory. When I was in confusion, he tricked me saying that he was my husband and we married in a haste, small ceremony-"

Isabel laughed. "He was half-right, only he was not the groom."

"And I thought he was a faithful husband who cared for me," Anne continued. "Turned out not only he lied to me, he also has two bastard children."

"All lords sire bastards," Isabel said; she then lowered her voice, "Do you know how many bastard children the King sired? Our father even sired one."

"And he named our son without consulting me. I woke up and found my two sons named Edward and Edmund."

"Annie, all first born sons are named by their father," Isabel shook her head, wondering why Anne was worrying about these small things. "Do you know what the King was doing when the Queen had her baby? The Queen was delivering upstairs while the King was bedding his mistress Jane Shore downstairs. When you had your babies, Richard was on his knees praying for you throughout your entire ordeal. He sacrificed one child to save you. Had it been George, he'd probably sacrificed me for two heirs."

Anne put little Margaret back in the crib. "I'm worrying if I can have another child," she admitted. "That ordeal, it was so frightening. I don't know if I can go through with it again."

"Don't worry, I will be there by your side," Isabel promised. "You just need to wait until you are strong again."

Anne looked at her sister for a moment and gave her a nod. Isabel took the hint and had all the ladies leave the chamber and the door bolted. 

"What is it?" Isabel asked.

Anne reached into her bodice and took out that petition the Countess drafted. "Mother and I had a talk. She says that my marriage to Richard is invalid and I should show this to the King to have this marriage quickly dissolved."

Isabel looked at her in disbelief. "Anne, I'd burn this if I were you."

"It's not me; it's Ned I'm thinking about."

"Then you should destroy it more than ever!" Isabel insisted. "Mother never cared for us and you do not need her blessing. Ned needs his father; and where you'd be without Richard?"

"Mother says that it is safer to be a bastard—"

"Anne! You shouldn't listen to her. Here, give this to me and I will burn it."

"No!" Anne stepped back. "Richard had her declared dead so he could have her fortune. What if...what if he'd do that to me as well?"

"For what reason?" Isabel shook her head. "Mother had it coming. She was embittered for losing her cause, but she should be happy with here she is. And even if you hand this petition to the King, what do you think will happen? That the King will allow you to walk away with your fortune and Ned? The King will never do that to his favorite brother!"

Anne said nothing more. She placed the petition back into her pocket.

"I don't know...Richard...I don't even know if he truly loves me...I have this fear that he would put me away once he's done with me...I've told you that I don't know if I can bear another child...Ned is so small and what if he dies? Then Richard doesn’t need me anymore..."

"You are so silly Annie!" Isabel rebuked her. "Seriously, sometimes I can't help but wonder what you were thinking. You and Richard married before the King; even if Richard does not love you, but so what? What does love have to do with marriage? If Richard was really that type of man, then he would've sacrificed you for the lives of his two sons! Have some common sense!"

Anne bit her lips and did nothing more.

***

Anne spent the night with Richard, lying with him side by side. She looked at him and asked, "Why don't you make love to me anymore?"

"Do you want me to?"

Anne played with her hair and said, "I do miss it. But since that night mother came to Middleham, when you lied with me, you just hold me and you don't-"

"I just want to be careful with you, that's all," Richard said. "You had such a bad time when you had Ned. I want to wait till you are well again before get you with child again."

"Ned...you are not thinking of Edmund?" Anne couldn't help but thought of her other child.

"He never left my heart," Richard's voice was heavy. "He is my son too, just as much as Ned. Edmund...is the name of my brother...who died so young..."

Anne felt sorry for bringing up Edmund. 

"We will have more children," she said slowly. "As many as your mother."

"I don't mind if we don't," Richard replied, much to Anne's surprise. "As long as I have you and my own honor."

He gathered Anne into his arms and Anne rested her head against his chest.

That divorce petition was still there in her safekeeping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More excitements coming up! Comments please!


	19. Chapter 19

Anne woke up in Richard's arms; she felt warm and safe to the point that she almost forgot they were in London not at Middleham. She closed her eyes again, wanting to stay in Richard's arm longer. She stayed like that until she felt Richard moved against her.

"Wake up sweetheart," he whispered in her ear.

Reluctantly, Anne opened her eyes and sat up. As they got dressed, Anne walked to Richard and threw her arms around his neck. She kissed him on the lips - something she hadn't done since she recovered her memory. When she pulled away, Richard pulled her back and gave her a deeper kiss full on the mouth. Anne rested her head against his chest with her arms around his waist.

"What was that for?" Richard asked.

"I don't know, just following my heart," Anne replied, burying her face against his chest. "What are you plans for today?"

"Hunting," Richard said.

"With the King?"

"Maybe," Richard muttered.

"Is she going to be there?" Anne asked.

"You mean the Queen?"

"No, _her_ ," Anne had a tone of jealousy. "That girl on the horse; the one you fell in love with before we married."

"She is not," Richard laughed at that. "She is now married and away from the court. Are you jealous?"

Anne nodded. "I wish that I can be on the horse again, maybe riding by your side."

"You will," Richard whispered against her lips. "I will teach you."

After a moment of silence, Richard promised her, "Anne, there is only you. There is no one else; there will not be any other woman to share my bed besides you."

Anne sighed in relief.

***

Anne watched from the window as Richard played with other noble men in the courtyard. Neither George nor the King was there. Richard was like a big boy and seemed so relaxed. One lady or two came to him, acting flirtatiously. But their intents, whatever it was, were futile. Richard ignored their advances graciously.

After a while, Anne decided to go see Isabel.

As she walked down the hall, she saw the King walking arm in arm with Queen. She stopped and curtsied deeply. As the King and Queen moved away, Anne rose and continued her way until she heard a string of giggles. She turned and saw a young woman in the finest pink silk approaching the King. Her face was familiar; she had red hair. Then Anne recalled that she saw her at her wedding. The young woman reached her hand to the King, who in turn, took her hand and strolled away with her.

The Queen was left behind, alone.

_The Queen was heavily pregnant at her wedding while the King was dancing with her..._

_The Queen was in labor upstairs while the King was bedding his mistress downstairs..._

_The King loved his mistress so openly before the eyes of the Queen..._

_And George, he was so cold to Isabel for not giving him a son..._

_Richard...he loves me, only me..._

_He was on his knees praying for me when I was in labor..._

_He chose to sacrifice his heir to save my life..._

_He refused other women's advances even when I was not watching..._

_I spent so much on the castle, and he did not rebuke me..._

_I threw tantrums after childbirth and yet he did not punish me..._

_He spoils me...he cares for me...he loves me..._

_I only took Lady Mother's advice because I was shaken by the fact he bedded other women..._

_It was I who treated him so badly before and after our marriage..._

_I have been unkind to him, but Richard, he saved me..._

"What a fool!" Anne said out loud.

She meant herself. Why should she even listen to her mother, who never cared for her, and throw all of her good fortune away?

Clutching that petition in her pocket, Anne ran to the hearth to throw the it into the fire.

Just as she took it out, it was snatched away from her.

George.

"What do we have here?" he snarled as he started to read the document.

"Give it back!" Anne demanded. She never liked George and had yet forgiven him for what he had done to her family.

"I will not!" George held the document in his hand up high beyond her reach. "What a fool, did you say? Who is a fool?" 

"You give it back to me now!" Anne cried and fought him.

She underestimated him, for George was too a warrior in the field like King Edward and Richard. But Anne was not to give up that easily. The two fought back and force with Anne throwing fists and scratches at him. Soon, the passer-by - ladies, nobles, grooms, guards - stopped and watched. Eventually, Isabel, King Edward, Queen Elizabeth, Jane Shore, and Duchess Cecily came to join the crowd. 

George grabbed Anne’s arm and twisted it while Anne tried to pull away from him and grab the document back; she was groaning in pain.

“George, by God!” Duchess Cecily rebuked.

Hearing his mother’s voice, George turned his face and then realized that people were watching him. Anne took this opportunity to snatch the petition back and then slapped George sharply across the face.

That was a sweet revenge long overdue, at least in Anne’s perspective.

“Anne!” Isabel cried as George rubbed his reddened cheek. She went up to her and pulled her away from George. “How could you hit George?”

“He was hurting me first!” Anne snapped. “He deserved it!”

As she stubbornly stood her ground, King Edward walked towards her as everyone backed away. Standing tall and powerful before her, King Edward reached out his big hand. Obviously, he wanted to see that document. Clutching that document, Anne refused to hand it over.

***

After a day of hunting, Richard returned to his quarter. Surprisingly, he did not find Anne there. At first, he assumed Anne went to see Isabel; but as he sauntered down the hall, he noticed that people were looking at him strangely. A squire came to him saying that the King wanted to see him.

In his throne room, King Edward, reading a petition, sat with Queen Elizabeth by his side; Duchess Cecily was there with George and Isabel.

Anne was nowhere in sight.

Richard bowed and then asked, “What is it? Where is Anne?”

“Lady Anne is in the Tower under guards,” the King replied coolly.

Richard looked at him in disbelief.

“In the Tower? For what?”

“For assaulting the Duke of Clarence!” George answered for the King.

Richard did not know what to say. By looking at George’s face, he guessed what had occurred.

“And apparently, Lady Anne does not want you as a husband anymore,” the King said almost laughingly. “She wanted to leave you and taking her fortune and her son with her.”

The Queen covered her mouth to suppress her laugh.

Richard stood there dumbfounded.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to see your faces when you finished this chapter.
> 
> Happy holidays!


	20. Chapter 20

In the Tower, Anne was under lock and guard like a prisoner. She assaulted George, King Edward's younger brother and the Duke of Clarence. That divorce petition, drafted by her mother Countess of Warwick, was taken by the King. What was in that petition anyway? Now Anne started to wonder. Asides from taken her mother's own words, she never read it. Had she handed to Isabel and allowed her to destroy it sooner, she would've been in Richard's arms in their warm bedchamber right now, instead of this cold chamber in the Tower.

Anne wanted to laugh at herself. Of her stupidity. Of her immaturity.

How could she do this to herself and to her own son?

Ned was so little; he needed his mother, which she told herself over and over again. And yet, with that petition taken by the King and had it been granted, she would never see her son again.

Isabel was right. Ned was a son of York; Richard's own flesh and blood; King Edward's paternal nephew. It would be a total fantasy that if King Edward would allow her to take Ned with her. Their marriage was blessed by the King himself; to declare it invalid would dishonor the King. Now it was highly likely that the King would order Richard to divorce her on the ground of her unruly behavior.

What would become of her son?

Living under the roof of his father and soon, a step-mother from another royal house who would not tolerate a child by another woman.

Poor Ned would be an orphan; even if Isabel would take him in, George would not be kind.

Who else could take care of her son?

Her mother was out of question; the only other hope was Duchess Cecily. And yet, Anne had this inkling that Duchess Cecily may not like her as much. Ned could stay with her, how could he survive in this Tower?

Now thanks to herself, her precious little son may not live past his tenth birthday.

Tears rolling down her cheek.

Now she knew that without Richard she was a nobody; whether Richard loved her or not, her marriage to him made her a royal duchess and a wife. Now without him, she may no longer be a daughter of a traitor, but she was certainly a laugh stock.

Where was Richard now?

How would he react when King Edward informed him of that petition?

Closing her eyes, Anne could see the faces of her father Earl of Warwick, her mother-in-law Margaret of Anjou, her first husband Edward of Lancaster - all laughing at her. Before their demise, Anne haughtily claimed that she would have a decent life unlike them. Now come think of it, her father's rebellion against King Edward and Queen Margaret of Anjou's fight for her son's throne - it was all for a decent life without fear of being killed or exiled. Anne got her decent life, only it was thrown away by herself.

And exactly what was she not happy about Richard as a husband?

Was it his looks?

Was he ever abusive toward her? Had he ever hit her? Starved her? Raised his voice?

Compared to Edward of Lancaster, his treatment towards her was beyond comparison.

Now Anne could only pray that Richard could somehow see that petition was drafted by someone else and perhaps disregard it as a forgery or some sort.

***

"She is divorcing you," King Edward muttered as he handed the petition to Richard. "It is all right here."

After reading the petition, Richard handed it back to Edward and said, "This is not Anne's handwriting or her words."

"Then why would she have it?" George asked. "She could have someone else wrote it for her."

Richard was silent.

Isabel wanted to say something but George gave her a death glare.

"This by far is only a petition," King Edward said. "I have yet granted it."

He then looked at George and Isabel. Reluctantly, they bowed and left; George was still rubbing his cheek.

With only Duchess Cecily and Queen Elizabeth, King Edward said to Richard, "Little brother, between you and me, let's...let's put it this way. Anne has been...a problem so far. If you like, I can have you divorce her and there will be a new marriage-"

"No Ned!" Richard refused sharply. "I am not divorcing Anne. She is the mother of my son."

After a pause, Richard said, "I'm taking her home."

"Out of question," King Edward denied his request. "Lady Anne assaulted George before the eyes of many; myself included. I cannot let her go unpunished for this act."

"You cannot let her stay in the Tower!" Richard argued. "Anne has been weak ever since she gave birth to Ned."

"Then she should've thought of that before she conducted her act," King Edward was not moved by Richard's argument. "She is not a child."

***

Her chamber in the Tower was not that bad, but Anne could hardly eat or sleep. Her heart was on her husband and son. Would Richard forgive her?

Her hair was a mess; she hadn’t eaten anything since she was brought here. Staring at the candlelight, she counted the waxes dropping from the candle as tears rolled down from her eyes.

Suddenly, the chamber door opened.

A few maids entered, followed by a person whom Anne never wanted to see—the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth was already in her thirties, but her beauty was far from diminished. Anne could see how the King was still besotted by her, even though he was bedding other women. She approached Anne; after studying her face for a few seconds, she said haughtily, “The Duke of Gloucester was worrying about you not eating, looks like he is right.”

The maids came to Anne to dress her hair and wash her face. Anne herself seemed to be careless of herself.

“So you are just going to sit there?”

“You come here to gloat?” Anne retorted, then realized her rudeness. “Your Grace.”

“How can you be so stupid?” the Queen rebuked. “You are throwing away your greatest fortune. For what really? When the King read your petition, he couldn’t believe it; he thought it was a comedy by a jester!”

“I did not scribe it,” Anne said.

“Then why did you have it?”

Anne was silent.

“What were you thinking? What can you get from that divorce?”

“My family fortune—“

“Too late,” the Queen interrupted her. “The Duke of Gloucester is a very clever man. He already petitioned the Parliament to pass this clause…that the fortune you speak of – _your fortune_ – will remain under his name even if you were to divorce.”

“What?” Anne’s eyes widened.

“Seriously, if you want to play a political game, Richard is way ahead of you.”

“Why are you here?” Anne asked.

“I mean you no harm,” the Queen muttered genuinely. “The Duke of Gloucester refused to rest unless he is confirmed that you are well.”

“He…he still cares for me?” Anne was in disbelief.

“It is you who bewitched him.”

***

Richard paced back and forth in his chamber. That petition was still in the hands of King Edward. The second he saw it, he knew who wrote it and whose idea it was—his mother-in-law the Countess of Warwick. As he tried to figure out a solution to get him and Anne out of this mess, Duchess Cecily came to see him.

“I see you are quite agitated, my son,” she commented as she sat.

“Of course I am agitated,” Richard said frustratingly. “Anne is in the Tower. My wife! Mother of my son! Her health has never been well! She cannot survive in that Tower—“

“Really?” Duchess Cecily did not buy his exaggeration. “You are talking about a young woman who survived a war; a horse accident; and an arduous childbirth. You honestly don’t believe that she can survive in the Tower for a few days?”

Richard said nothing.

“Honestly, my son, you are partially at fault that all this happened.”

Richard could not believe his ears. “What are you saying Lady Mother?”

“You spoiled her rotten,” Duchess Cecily continued. “Lady Howard wrote to me months ago saying that Anne had the entire Middleham Castle refurnished with new decorations and furniture; and that she had a new tower built. All of that only in six months. And what have you said to her on this matter?”

“Anne was with child at the time, I don’t want to—“

“You always make excuses for her. I knew what she been through. I too lost a husband and a son in a war; I gave birth to ten children; but that does not mean that I should behave unruly,” Duchess Cecily rebuked her son. “Richard, when you love someone, you want the best for that person. It does not mean you indulge into everything that person demands. I love you and your brothers; but remember when you were children, I rebuke and punish you as needed. And what was that all for? So that when you are on your own, you can care for yourself and protect yourself!”

Duchess Cecily looked at Richard and the noticed something, “Where is your silver cross?”

Richard muttered, “I gave it to Anne when she gave birth to Ned. She nearly died.”

Duchess Cecily nodded and then assured him, “Don’t worry about Anne, Richard. The King will not take her away from you. After all, he does not want you to go mad.”

Before she left, Cecily looked at her son and said, "Anne needs to learn her lesson; she will be fine I am assure of it."

***

When Anne woke up the next morning, a few ladies came to dress her. 

Anne said nothing, but she felt a million butterflies released in her belly; she could hardly walk.

The ladies and the guards led her out of the Tower. In the courtyard, she was a litter. The ladies placed a cloak on her shoulders.

Anne instantly knew what it meant.

"I want to see my lord husband," she said. 

No one replied to her request. Two guards, taking her arms, and led her to the litter despite her protests. She couldn't fight back anyway because her lack of eating and strength. She tried to look back at the castle to see if Richard could be standing before any window. 

But there was no sight of him.

Anne had no choice but to allow them to take her away. 

The litter stopped. When Anne got out of that litter, she found herself before an abbey. 

She felt a chill in her heart for she knew what it meant - Richard is divorcing her and sending her here to be a nun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments pelase!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really really want to finish this story and it is burning in my mind!
> 
> That's why I updated it so quickly.
> 
> If I don't let it out, it's driving me mad!
> 
> This story will be finished before 2014. And up next is "That Prince Richard of York", inspired by Beauty and the Beast.

Chop, chop, chop...

Wipe, wipe, wipe...

Stir, stir, stir...

In her grey gown with a white cap, Anne worked in the abbey's kitchen. When she was taken there, to her surprise, the Abbess Mother did not take her under her order. It was perhaps for the better since her heart was still with Richard and her son Ned. The Mother Abbess sent her to work in the kitchen instead. 

It was not necessarily a mistreatment. An abbey was a safe haven for women who suffered domestic abuse and mistreatments. Sanctuaries and abbeys never refuse any refugee; however, unless the refugee was sick or suffered from handicap, he or she must work for the sanctuary in return. A woman of noble birth with wealth may still receive treatment suitable for her status. However, for Anne, it was another story. Since she was no longer with her husband and her fortune remained under Richard’s name, her status was not much different than a poor noble. She was no longer a royal duchess, but Lady Anne Neville, a noble woman without a coin.

To Anne, it was like a dream. After she fell from the horse, she was taken to a sanctuary until Richard married her; now she was back to the sanctuary. She spoke to no one; crying from time to time. Other women who worked in the sanctuary, some were nuns; and some weren't. Those who came here to escape from the abusive hands of their fathers or husbands shared the stories of their unpleasant pasts. Naturally, this made Anne felt worse.

"My husband, he hits me."

"My husband made me work in the field like an ox."

"My husband starved me."

"My husband left me here because I cannot bear children."

What was for Anne to say? 

"My husband was very good to me. He spoiled me and saved me instead of our unborn son. And yet, I petitioned to divorce. He is a royal duke."

Of course, she never said it; when other women asked her, Anne said nothing. 

At night, she slept on hard beds. In the morning, she fasted with other nuns and then headed to work. Days became weeks; weeks became months. Anne constantly thought about her little boy. Had he spoke his first word yet? Her Lady Mother would not abuse him, but sooner or later her son would miss her. What would Richard tell Ned about his mother?

The more she thought of her son, the sadder she became. The sadder she was, the less she ate. Soon she was thin and pale, wondering down the halls like a ghost.

“Are you not well child?” The Abbess Mother noticed her sadness.

Anne shook her head. “I miss my child. He is all alone.”

“Come,” Abbess Mother took her hand and led her to large chamber adjunct to the kitchen. Before her was an abandoned iron stove. “I see you have so much pain in your heart, if you are not comfortable with confession. Then you can confess you pains to the stove.”

She opened the stove, gesture Anne to climb in.

Anne hesitated a little, and then climbed into the stove. It was dark and small, but it was safe for her to let out her feelings and words.

Swallowing hard, Anne muttered, “I was born Lady Anne Neville, daughter of Kingmaker. Life was full of fortune and promises. When I was six, I met him. He was short and dumpy; his name is Richard. He is the youngest brother of King Edward. My father wanted us to marry, but I wasn’t happy. I saw myself higher than him; and thus I treated him badly. I hurt his feelings using the cruelest words; I threw nuts at his horse during his training and caused him serious injuries. Then it all changed when I was thirteen. My father fell out with King Edward, because of his Woodville Queen. I was taken away from my beloved home Middleham; we were forced into exile. On our ship to France, my sister Isabel went into labor. The baby came early, and there was no midwife or a physician on ship. The baby was covered with so much blood to the point that we don’t even know its gender. My father said that it was a boy, so we took him as a boy.

“After we landed in France, my father switched his alliance to Lancasters. He used me as a bartered good to seal his bargain. He married me to Edward of Lancaster. The marriage was horrible; he treated me badly. I was so hurt and angry. Before the final battle, I told them, my father, my mother-in-law, and my husband, that I will live in a decent life and I will not mourn for them.

“At Tewkesbury, enemies approached. My horse was alerted and I fell from the horse. I was in the deep sleep; I don’t even know what was happening. When I woke up, I saw him. Later, I learned that he was the one who brought me to sanctuary and that he was a royal prince. He told me that we were married before the war. He gave me the chance to marry him again.

“And I did, because I chose to. We were very happy together, living in our childhood home. Everything was fine until I gave birth to my children. All of these painful memories came back. He lied to me; he tricked me to marry him so that he could gain my fortune. I don’t know if he truly loved me at all.

“My mother came to live with us, at my request due to my stupidity. She convinced me to leave him, saying that he was a cold and manipulative man. She drafted that petition to divorce him. She is my mother and she convinced me that she did this out of love. I kept that petition in my pocket, never intended to use it.

“It was after our stay in London I realized how much he cared for me and how much he loved me. I wanted to destroy that petition, but George snatched it away from me. I tried to get it back but he hurt me. It was not until Lady Duchess Cecily rebuked him did he released me from his grip. I look that petition back and hating him for everything he’d done, I struck him.

“Now that petition was taken by the King; I was taken to the Tower. I never stopped thinking about Richard and my son. I was so stupid! Richard had given me everything a woman could’ve asked for, but I threw it all away. I doubted his love, not because of what he did, but because of what _I_ did! I had been unkind to him, so I could not understand why he loved me so much.

“If I were to given another chance, I will be a good wife to him. I will love him and never to leave him. All my life, he is the only person who ever loved me.”

Anne finished her confession; she felt much better. Wiping her tears away, she opened the door and climbed out of the stove. By now, her face, her hand, and her dress were covered with cinders.

When she stood on her feet, she found herself face-to-face with a man. Dark curls, dark eyes, dark blue doublet. No mistake, it was Richard.

He probably heard everything she said.

All types of emotions came to her. Anne covered her mouth with her palm while tears flooded her eyes.

Before she could say another word, she stepped on her dress and tripped. Her head hit against the stove.

She fell on the ground unconscious.

She was in her deep sleep again. 


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is the last chapter!

Anne laid unconsciously in a four poster bed. She was at the Windsor Castle. 

Richard kept a vigil by her bedside.

He had not left her side. Holding her hand in his, he kissed her knuckles again and again. He stroked her lips, which were bruised from his kisses. He remembered how his kiss revived her from her first deep sleep. Maybe his kiss can revive her again.

However, Anne was still unconscious.

Richard cursed under his breathe. King Edward had Anne locked into the Tower for assaulting George; but George had hurt Anne as well. As for that divorce petition, it was obvious that Countess of Warwick used Anne for her own gain, which was fruitless anyhow. When he and George settled the inheritance issue, he had the King granted that the Countess was legally dead and the Neville fortune were his, even if he were to divorce Anne. 

Anne could've burned it or torn it apart, which was likely what she intended to do, according to a witness. 

All because of bad timing.

After seeing Richard's agitation, King Edward had Anne sent to an abbey. It was a more decent environment; under the persuasion of Queen Elizabeth, King Edward ordered that Richard and Anne not to see each other for three months. It was a form of punishment, Anne for her unruly behavior and Richard for spoiling Anne. But it was also a form of reconciliation; with them apart, perhaps they could use this as an opportunity to think, and to miss each other. 

That divorce petition, drafted by Countess of Warwick, was destroyed in the fire before the eyes of Richard, George, and Isabel.

Regarding to that petition, Richard was quite mad at Anne. When they came to London, he had told her to be very careful with each word she speaks and each move she makes. And what did she do? Carrying a divorce petition that she did not draft or read; waving it before George’s eyes in the hall; and slapping George before the eyes of the King. Duchess Cecily was right; he had spoiled her badly. But then again, he was more concerned about Anne than being mad at her. Three months not seeing her, he missed her. 

So once the three months of separation, Richard hopped onto his horse and went to the abbey to see Anne.

He was not going to divorce her. He was going to take her back to Middleham.

When he arrived, Anne was nowhere seen. The Abbess Mother led him to the iron stove, where Anne confessed her guilt and feelings. Richard was so touched to hear that Anne was sorry for how she treated him when they were young; and that she was willing to be his wife again, a good wife; and that she will love him.

Then the door opened and she climbed out. She was covered by cinder from head to toe. 

In another time, Richard could've laughed at her.

Before he could say a word, Anne was on the verge of crying. She was going to leap into his arms and cry against his chest. He wouldn't mind, even for her filthiness. 

And then she stepped on her dress, tripped, and hit her head against the iron stove.

She was unconscious again.

Richard carried her back to the Windsor Castle and shouted for physicians. He refused to leave her when the maids and the physicians attended her. Like after the Battle of Tewkesbury, the physicians only shook their heads and left Anne's fate to God.

Was this all a cruel joke?

"You are still by her side?" Duchess Cecily asked. Richard didn't even notice her entering their chamber. "You know you cannot stay like this forever. You are the Lord of the North, Constable of England. You have your duties."

"Without her, I cannot do anything," Richard said with tears in his eyes.

"Have you thought of your brother the King? What about your son Ned? He needs his father," Duchess Cecily said. "Let her go."

"No!" Richard roared; his action shocked his mother. "Anne and I, we are meant to be. Had Warwick not rebelled, we would've wed long before we did. Lancasters took her away from me; and then she came back. I'm not going to let her go."

"Richard, you cannot fight against God's will," Duchess Cecily said, her voice remained calm. "Anne has been a good child. But when the time comes, she has to go."

"But not today," Richard said as he wiped Anne's forehead. "Not today, you hear that sweetheart? You cannot leave me today."

Duchess Cecily said nothing more. She stood by and watched as Richard held Anne's hand against his face.

***

Despite the advices and orders from King Edward and Duchess Cecily, Richard stubbornly remained at Anne's side, refusing to leave. But even the Duke of Gloucester was human; eventually, he gave away to his exhaustion and fell asleep. His squires carried him to another chamber, leaving Anne alone.

Soon, however, two small figures sneaked into her chamber, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Cecily, daughters of King Edward and Queen Elizabeth. 

From their father, they heard about the Sleeping Princess, which made them curious. Although Queen Elizabeth forbade them to go anywhere near Anne, the two girls sneaked away to take a peek at the Sleeping Princess. To their disappointment, what they saw was nothing like the beautiful fairy princess they envisioned. Instead of a fair lady, Anne was rather pale and thin. 

"She is not beautiful like our mother," Princess Elizabeth said.

"She does look peaceful," Princess Cecily commented. "Is she only sleeping?"

"She is breathing." 

The two girls looked at Anne and started to play. They pulled her hair, tickled her feet, and pinched her arm.

Nothing seemed to disturb Anne out of her unconsciousness.

"Oh I know," Princess Elizabeth said excitedly. She took Anne's finger and bit it hardly. 

Anne stirred. Her eyes started to open; and her hands started to move.

Princess Cecily gasped. "She's awake!"

Feared to be caught, the two girls ran out of her chamber. By the time Anne opened her eyes, the two girls were already gone.

Anne looked around her but found no one. She tried to move, but she could hardly lift her hand. After several failed attempts, she finally pushed herself up by the elbow. 

She wasn't at the abbey.

Where was she?

Just as she was wondering her surroundings, the door opened. 

Richard came.

Seeing her awake, Richard was overwhelmed with emotions. He bolted to her side and folded her in his arms, pressing her hard against his chest.

"Anne, my Anne. Thank God!" He whispered against her hair as tears fell from his eyes.

Anne did not respond, even after Richard pulled away from her and kissed her hand. 

"It's Richard," he said. "Your husband Richard!"

Anne said nothing still.

He grabbed her shoulder and shook her hard. "Anne! Do you remember? We married in a big festival; you were so beautiful in that golden gown; it was July. And we have a son, Edward."

Finally, Anne murmured, "We...we are still married? You are not divorcing me, are you?"

Seeing her not losing her memory, Richard sighed in relief. Holding her close against his heart, he said softly, "No sweetheart, no. Never. I will never leave you."

He held on to her, refusing to let her go until Anne hugged him back.

***

As soon as Anne was well enough to walk, Richard departed London with her. Under Richard's watchful eyes, Anne bid Isabel goodbye. Even though Isabel had not done Anne any harm, Richard did not trust her due to George.

To Anne's surprise, Richard joined her in the litter.

Now that they were alone, Anne released her emotions that were hidden from Richard. She buried her face in his neck and cried like a child who understood her wrongs. Richard wordlessly stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry," Anne managed to say after catching her breath. "I shouldn't have...I never intended..."

"Hush love," Richard comforted her. After she calmed down, Richard said, "Since you remembered, then why you did not listened to me? I told you to be careful with your deeds because we are in London, not in Middleham. You waved that bloody petition before George and you assaulted George before the King. What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry," Anne said again. "I was going to destroy it, but then George took it from me."

"Then destroy it in our chambers, for God's sake!" Richard rebuked. "You are the Duchess of Gloucester, Lady of the North. You need to stop behaving like a child; I cannot protect you all the time."

"So you sent me to the abbey as a punishment?"

"I didn't; it was Edward's order," Richard explained. "When they sent you to the Tower, I nearly went mad. So Edward thought it'd be better if you were sent to an abbey. He ordered that I should not see you for three months."

"All for assaulting George?" Anne asked.

"No, also for that petition. Once it's done, it's done; you cannot take it back. But fortunately, my brother the King destroyed it as it never existed."

Anne sighed in relief. "It was mother's idea-"

"Then why did you accepted from her? You should never pocket anything that was written in your name without knowing what was in it."

Anne was silent. Then she asked, "Did you hear what I've said in the stove?"

"I did," he nodded as he took her hand. "Do you mean all these words?"

"I do," Anne said. Then she looked at Richard apologetically and said, "I'm sorry for all the things I've said to you when we were children; and I'm sorry that I threw nuts at your horse and caused you so much pain. I'm sorry that I threw fists at you after I had Ned; and I'm sorry for the humiliation I caused you after coming to London."

"You have been naughty, Anne," Richard said as he gathered her into his arms. "But to amend your deeds, you must remain as my wife; a dutiful wife whom I can rely on during my absences; a wise lady who knows how to manage the castle and finances; a good mother to her children; and a passionate lover to her husband."

That made Anne laugh. "I will, I promise you." She paused and then said, "Your two children...where are they now?"

Richard was surprised that she knew about them. "They are settled in York; their mother is married now."

"We can take them to Middleham," Anne said generously. "They are Ned's siblings after all."

Touched, Richard kissed her fully on the lips. "They were before our marriage Anne. I promise you there won't be anyone else but you."

"I missed you making love to me," Anne said while stroking his jaw. "I want to conceive again."

"If you do conceive again, you can name the next child."

Anne nodded.

***

The moment the litter stopped for their lodging, Richard jumped out of the litter and carried Anne in his arm. He carried her into the inn and went directly into a bedchamber. 

He threw her onto the bed and climbed on top of her. Unlacing her dress, he pulled her dress off her along with her underdress. His lips covered her bodies with kisses as Anne undressed him. The two made love as their hearts pressed together. After a very long night of passionate love-making, Anne rested against Richard's chest. 

Then she thought of something and asked, "Richard, why you love me? I have never been kind to you, but you loved me and treasured me so much."

"That's something I can't even explain," Richard muttered. "All I know is that I love you."

"But when did you fell in love me?"

After a moment of thinking, Richard replied, "While you were sleeping."

Satisfied, Anne closed her eyes and turned her back against Richard. She loved it when he held her from behind with his hands playing her breasts, teasing her nipples, and rubbing her belly. When his hands were on her belly, Anne wished for another baby. 

She loved Richard. And Richard loved her.

Asleep or awake.

Until death tears them apart.

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is inspired by "Sleeping Beauty" and the film "While You Were Sleeping" starring Sandra Bullock.
> 
> The elements from "Sleeping Beauty" are:  
> • Anne was in her deep sleep after falling from her horse; she was awake after Richard gave her a kiss. Unlike the Disney version, Richard (a prince) left Anne after his kiss.  
> • Richard found Anne in a rose garden shed was a reference to Grimm's version.   
> • Richard was not married, but he did have a mistress with two children. The prince from the fairy tale was married.  
> • In the original tale, the prince made love (or raped) the sleeping princess and she woke up after having twins; one of them sucked her wounds. In this fic, Anne recovered her memory after gave birth to twins. After she fell into deep sleep for the second time, she woke up after young Princess Elizabeth bit her on the finger.  
> • In Charles Penault's version, the story did not end after the prince married the sleeping princess. The prince's mother was an evil witch who wanted to eat her grandchildren and tried to murder the sleeping princess by throwing her into a pit of snakes. In this fic, Anne went through imprisonment in the Tower and in the abbey after giving birth to twins. 
> 
> Aside from "Sleeping Beauty", this fic also consists elements from other fairy tales. When Anne confessed her feelings in the iron stove, it was based on the "Goose Girl". When Anne was covered in cinders, it was a reference to Cinderella. 
> 
> Thank you all for your comments and kudos. I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. My goal is to give Anne and Richard a happy ending and to have fun.
> 
> Happy New Year. May you have another great year in 2014.
> 
> Perhaps there will be an honest biographical film for Richard III in production; or a TV adaption of "Sunne in Splendour".


End file.
